Nagpur, Nov 22 (IANS) India wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha on Wednesday brushed aside talk of frequent changes in his batting position saying the No.6 slot in the Indian batting line-up is a flexible one, depending on the conditions.

“It’s not that I always bat at No.7 (or No.8) as I have batted at No 6 also. We (along with Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja) are being rotated as batting position depends on the strength of the opposition bowlers,” Saha told reporters ahead of India’s second Test against Sri Lanka in Nagpur starting Friday.

In the first rubber against the tourists, Saha came in at No.7 and 8 in both innings.

Saha has played at No.6 but in the Indian second innings at Kolkata, he came as low as No.8, not exactly common among wicketkeeper-batsmen these days.

“Favourable conditions determine the slots whether it is Nos 6, 7 or 8. It can be any position as per the team management’s call,” Saha said, making it clear that he is not rigid about any slot.

Like Lokesh Rahul had said after the conclusion of the Test, Saha also felt that a few overs more could have ensured an Indian win.

Talking about the last Test where replying to India’s second innings score of 352/8 declared, the visitors were reeling at 75/7 chasing 231, when umpires Nigel Llong and Joel Wilson decided there was not enough light to continue the game, Saha said: “The team morale was fantastic even though we couldn’t bat as per expectation in the first innings.

“But we made a good comeback in the second innings. Shikhar (Dhawan), Rahul and Virat (Kohli) 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 33-year-old Bengal stumper reflected.

“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,” he added.

Saha was once again quizzed about the South Africa tour in January next year.

“I have always believed in match by match preparation. Yes, South Africa 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 concluded.

–IANS
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