Internet Desk: Indian wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha on Wednesday declared that he is open to batting at any positions which the team management decides. The Bengal gloves man is not concerned with his batting order in the team. Saha, who has three test hundreds under his belt batting at No. 7 averages a decent 40 plus in test cricket. On being asked if he has any concerns with his batting order in the team, Saha said, “It’s not that I always bat at No. 7 (or 8) as I have batted at No. 6 also. We (along with Ashwin and Jadeja) are being rotated as batting position depends on the strength of the opposition bowlers.”
Compared to other batting slots in the current test team, No. 6 position has seen quite a few experiments in the recent times. Saha himself has played there but in the Indian second innings at Kolkata, he came as low as No. 8, not exactly common among the wicketkeeper-batsmen these days. “Favourable conditions determine the slots whether it is numbers 6, 7 or 8. It can be any position as per the team management’s call,” Saha made it clear that he does not have any preference in batting order.
The wicket-keeper feels a few more overs in the first test match at Eden Gardens could have seen the men in blue coming out in flying colours. The hosts had Sri Lanka on the mat at 76 for 7, chasing an improbable 231 before bad light ensured a draw.
“The team morale was fantastic even though we couldn’t bat as per expectation in the first innings,” he said. “But we made a good comeback in the second innings. Shikhar, Rahul and Virat batted well and when you get them seven down for less than 100, it automatically boosts your morale. “May be with a bit more time at our disposal, we could have won.”
The Bengal stumper felt that had a few decisions early on in the Lankan second innings gone their way, it could have been a different story. “We tried hard but initially if we could have got the first few decisions quickly, it could have been different. But time was also a constraint as we first wanted to be safe and set a score that was unattainable and then attack. That was our gameplan so that bowlers would go all out.”
On being asked whether the South Africa tour is at the back of his and the Indian team’s mind, he stressed on staying in present. “I have always believed in match by match preparation. Yes, SA series is at the back of our minds but when you win a Test match, you take that confidence into the next game and that’s what we are trying to do,” he signed off.