Ready to play at any position, asserts Wriddhiman Saha

The first match of the India-Sri Lanka series, played at the Eden Gardens, ended as a thrilling draw despite rain playing spoilsport for the first three days. With the top order collapsing in the first innings, Ravichandran Ashwin was sent in to bat at the number six position ahead of Saha and Ravindra Jadeja. The latter came in to bat at the same position in the second innings and Saha claimed that the spot was flexible enough and conditions would dictate who would get the nod. 

"It's not that I always bat at No 7 (or No 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," Saha said as quoted by PTI.

"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.”

The first two days of the match were affected by rain with just under 33 overs being completed instead of the 180. Bad light forced early stumps over the next three days. Despite the total number of overs being reduced drastically, there was no shortage of drama on the field. With both teams finding themselves in positions to actually win the game, the crowd in Kolkata got the entertainment they deserved. With Virat Kohli scoring his 50th international century and the bowlers claiming seven wickets on the last day, before bad light stopped action for the last time, India fell just short of a memorable victory.

"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, Rahul, and Virat batted well and when you get them seven down for less than 100, it automatically boosts your morale. Maybe a bit more time at our disposal, we could have won," he stated.

"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 attacks. That was our gameplan so that bowlers would go all out."

India opted to play five specialist bowlers in Kolkata owing to the nature of the pitch. The Bengal player asserted that in such a scenario, the responsibility of scoring runs fall on the middle and lower order, predominantly him, Jadeja, and Ashwin. 

"You can only win Test matches by taking 20 wickets so preference is always given to bowlers. Now (if five bowlers are playing), you need contribution from everyone -- myself, Ashwin and Jadeja along with the lower order."