India vs Australia: Wriddhiman Saha Rates Ranchi Century As His Best So Far

Wicketkeeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha on Sunday rated his 117-run knock against Australia as his best Test innings so far and credited his teammates for the support and the positive influence on his batting. He played a gutsy innings and added 199 runs for the seventh wicket for India and ably supported his partner Cheteshwar Pujara to help India take a 152-run lead against the visitors in the first innings."This is the best among the three I have. We badly needed partnership. My partnership began slowly. One of the best," Saha said at the press conference." At stumps on Day 4, India were in the driving seat, having reduced Australia to 23 for two in their second innings.

"Pujara always backed me to play my shots. Told me to be positive. I had the same approach here. I played in positive sense, so it came out well," wicket-keeper batsman added.

Saha further said the support he got from his teammates, has given him a lot of confidence.

"I didn't really change the way I batted. I'm backing myself more now. When I'm playing sweep shots or stepping out, I used to have doubts early in my career. Now the team is supporting me. It's have a good effect on me."

Saha said his 316-run unbeaten stand with Pujara in the Irani Trophy final inspired the duo to bat well.

"The way Pujara was batting it never seemed we would lose his wicket. We did well in the Irani Trophy. It was playing in our mind. We knew that we could do well if we back ourselves. We just tried to do that and looked for loose balls and run well between wickets," Saha said.

Pujara was attacked with a flurry of bouncers by the Aussie pace duo of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood and the latter had some exchange in the middle with Saha.

The Indian wicketkeeper said he had asked Hazlewood to 'go back and bowl'.

"Little banter always goes on. Pujara was telling him 'look at the scoreboard'. He was on 180-odd then. They said something to me as I just said 'go back and bowl'. Nothing more than that," Saha said.

Saha said India would look to continue with the momentum they created in the last session.

"We would look to bowl the same way and land the ball in the same areas consistently. Every bowler will be effective. The ball was turning and some are keeping straight. Jadeja's one ball turned from the rough to bowl out Warner while the other one turned from the stump against Lyon. He's doing well," he said.

(With PTI Inputs)