Ranchi century my best Test innings till date, says Saha

Ranchi, March 19 (IANS) Wriddhiman Saha on Sunday rated his knock of 117 as the best among the three tons he has scored in Test cricket so far.

Saha, who took 233 deliveries to get to the landmark, was involved in a 199-run seventh-wicket partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara (202 off 525 balls) as India declared their first innings at a mammoth 603/9 to take a 152-run lead over Australia who had scored 451 in the first innings.

At stumps on the fourth day of the third Test, the tourists were reduced to 23/2 with the lead cut down to 129 runs.

"This is the best among the three I have," Saha told reporters here about his century knock.

"We badly needed a partnership. My partnership began slowly and then he made 200 and I got my century," the Bengal wicket-keeper added.

Asked if he feels like an improved batsman now, Saha said he has not changed anything as such and backed himself more.

"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 has a good effect on me," he added.

Pujara, Saha said, showed great patience by curtailing his shots and holding fort from one end.

"Puji has so much patience. He scores 200-300 in domestic cricket almost routinely. He is always on the top of his game. He showed great patience here," the Bengal stumper said.

"He was losing partners at the other end, and we were not getting really big partnerships. He curtailed his shots, trying to build big partnerships."

About his verbal exchanges with Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood, Saha said, "A 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 well, I just said 'Go back and bowl'. Nothing more than that."