Wriddhiman Saha says the West Indies tour helped him clear self doubts

It is said that a cricketer’s best performance often comes when the team is in a spot of bother. The Indian cricket team were in a similar state in the 3^rd Test against the West Indies at St.Lucia last month, when Wriddhiman Saha joined Ravichandran Ashwin and the duo rescued India with a stand of 213 runs, that helped the team register a thumping win.

En route that partnership, Saha also made his debut Test hundred and speaking about that effort the Indian wicketkeeper said that he was satisfied by his performance and there was some concern at the back of his mind, about someone else replacing him had he failed.

“I won’t say the West Indies tour was the turning point of my career, but looking back, I must admit it helped clear some self-doubts. I didn’t go there with the apprehension of walking a tightrope. But at the back of my mind I had a feeling that if I don’t get a big score, a new player might come in. It was sort of looking over your shoulder. So, from that point of view, it was a satisfying knock. More so because it contributed to the team’s cause.

“As a keeper-batsman, it’s my job to contribute with the bat. I just try to do that. Every match and series present a new challenge. My theory is simple; if I don’t perform consistently I will be dropped. So I won’t say the West Indies tour has helped me cement my place. But this hundred has helped me get into the groove. I will carry forward the confidence.” Saha told the Indian Express in an interview.

In the entire series, Ashwin had been promoted ahead of Saha to bat at the number 6 slot, but the Bengal lad wasn’t too perturbed by the decision of the team management and revealed that skipper Virat Kohli and head coach Anil Kumble gave him the confidence that he would succeed soon.

“No. It was a team decision, taken on the first morning of the first Test. I was pretty okay with that. In a team sport you always think about the unit and we have an excellent group, where players help each other even off the field. I was never put under pressure by the team management about getting big runs. Both Virat and Anil Kumble told me that a big score was just round the corner. And the whole team was very happy after my hundred. I was happy but it would be foolish to get carried away after a century,” Saha said.

Kumble creates a comfort zone for the players: Saha

Elaborating a bit more about Kumble, Saha said that the former leg-spinner understands the mindset of the players and is very much a hands-on coach.

“He had been such a great performer for India. He carries the experience. He understands our psyche. Communication sometimes had been an issue with foreign coaches. Kumble is very hands-on. He creates a comfort zone for the players,” he said.

When asked to compare Kumble and Ravi Shastri, who was with the team for over a year, Saha said it wasn’t fair to compare the two and both roles were different.

“That would be unfair. Shastri was the team director. His role was different from a coach,” he concluded.