×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Saha bats for flexibility

Wicketkeeper ready to bat anywhere for team's cause
Last Updated 22 November 2017, 15:33 IST

Wriddhiman Saha batted for flexibility in the lower middle-order, stressing that he didn't mind batting lower than six, where he has batted most of his Test career. Saha walked in at No 7 and 8 in the two innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka and the Bengal player put it down to team's requirement.      

"The management decides (where I bat)," Saha said. "Not that every match, I have batted at No 7. Sometimes I have gone at No 6 and (R) Ashwin has batted after me. We keep rotating. Depending on the opposition, even (Ravindra) Jadeja has batted at No 6. So between the three of us, we keep rotating. The team management decides what conditions favour which particular player and we are ready for Nos 6, 7 and 8," he explained.

When asked if there is extra pressure on the wicketkeeper to perform with the bat on pitches where top order struggles, Saha felt everyone needed to contribute to win a Test. "We need to take 20 wickets to win a Test. Everyone has to contribute. For example, the lower order I or Ashwin or Jadeja, have to contribute. Also, the batsmen have to contribute. Then come the bowlers. To take 20 wickets, bowlers need more options and everyone has to contribute with the bat."

The mood in the team, Saha said, was good after the first Test where India remained on the backfoot for most part but fought back to nearly pull off a win.

"The atmosphere is good," he emphasised. "We could not play that well in the first innings as we wanted to. But, the way we came back and batted in the second innings was impressive, especially Shikhar (Dhawan), Virat (Kohli), (KL) Rahul. Then the bowlers attacked in their (Lankans') second innings, 70-odd for 7, is a morale booster for us. We came close to the result. If we had more time, possibly we could have won," he analysed.

From what was an unusually seaming wicket in Kolkata, India come to a venue which traditionally has favoured spinners. While Saha admitted that previous results in a particularly will be at the back of one's mind, he insisted that the team was ready for any eventuality.

"I have not sot seen the pitch, it was covered," Saha said when asked about his impressions of the pitch. "Whether pace-friendly or spin-friendly, we will try to take breakthroughs initially if they bat first and take the match deep and try and win the match. Ultimately that will be the aim. Whatever the pitch, we will go with the flow. Previous Test match results will be at the back of our minds. But we will stay in the present. What happened two years ago or one year ago, it need not necessarily be the same. Whatever the team management decides (will be based) on what is available in the present."

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 22 November 2017, 15:04 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT