Hand-eye coordination crucial for wicketkeeper's success, says Wriddhiman Saha

Bengaluru, December 9: India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha does not get carried away by praise. Having taken over as the wicketkeeper from former captain MS Dhoni, Saha knows he still far from being perfect. And that, he admits, helps him grow and deliver greater performances for the national team.

"I am still a student," Saha says candidly days after a series win over Sri Lanka at home. "Despite the fact that I am being appreciated for my keeping behind the stumps, I know I am not perfect. I will have to work harder than this to attain perfection. I know I have a few weaknesses and I am in the process of rectifying them."

Saha points out how he had to adjust his position behind the stumps to tackle the uneven bounce at the Feroz Shah Kotla in the third Test against Sri Lanka last week. The Bengal star says only experience can help you judge the best position to stand behind the wickets. "The pitch at Feroz Shah Kotla (in Delhi) had bounce as well as swing. Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav had consistently been able to move the ball. So it was a real test for me. I realized I would have to be neat and clean behind the stumps," he said.

The 33-year-old Siliguri native feels he has been able to achieve success in the longer format because of his excellent hand-eye coordination. "Reflex is the most basic trait of a wicketkeeper," Saha explained. "But hand-eye coordination is a must for a keeper (if he wants to do a good job). Sometimes, you may be able to stretch out and reach for the ball. But if you are not able to judge the trajectory of the ball with your eyes, you will not be able to grab the catch. I realise this is an important thing for a wicketkeeper and naturally, I spend a lot of time improving this quality."

Saha, delighted to be part of the team that equalled Australia's record of nine consecutive Test series wins, rates the dismissal of Sri Lanka's Sadeera Samarawickrama in the Delhi Test last week as one of his top catches. "I will probably rate the catch of Australian Steven O'Keefe as the best in recent times. This was the one I grabbed off the bowling of Umesh Yadav in Pune this February. But taking Sri Lanka's Sadeera Samarawickrama's catch at Feroz Shah Kotla in the recently-concluded Test will also be very close," he said.