Wriddhiman Saha is still India’s Number one keeper, says chief selector MSK Prasad

"Parthiv's statistics speak volumes about the way he has performed for Gujarat in the last few years. He has been very good with the bat, and more importantly, Parthiv's glove work is much better than before. But Saha remains our No. 1 keeper," Prasad told The Times of India during a Ranji Trophy game in Chennai.

Ajinkya Rahane's struggles against England continued as his poor run of form extended to a six-ball duck in the first innings of the third Test in Mohali. He has scored a mediocre 63 runs from five innings in the ongoing series so far. But Prasad continued backing the Mumbaikar by calling him an ‘outstanding’ player.

Hailing Ashwin as a dependable batsman, Prasad said, "Ashwin is no longer a bowler, but a dependable batsman. His timing is so perfect that people mistake him for VVS Laxman. Ashwin's batting makes other players feel more relaxed in the dressing room.”

"If you look at the one-day series against New Zealand, we played with our second XI. That clearly shows that our bench strength has been able to adapt well and perform as per expectations. Our primary focus (as selectors) is to develop that aspect in the current team as there is not much tinkering we can do to a team which is more or less set," he said.