India's wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha on Monday said that his team's first target is to win the opening Test at the Eden Gardens to set the momentum for the three-match series against Sri Lanka.
"We are yet to see the wicket but the first target is to win the first Test and get momentum to win the series," Saha said after Indian team's first practice session ahead of the opening Test against Sri Lanka here from November 16.
Not looking too far ahead of the South Africa series, beginning with Cape Town Test on January 6, Saha said it was about taking it match by match.
"Every match is important and poses a different challenge, there's nothing like preparation. We will go match by match. If we do better here then we will think of the SA series."
Rating Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of others, Saha said the off-spinner posed a big challenge to keep behind the stumps with many variations.
"Ashwin is ahead of others. He has got many variations, also the length varies, so it's tough against him. He has more variation than (Ravindra) Jadeja, Kuldeep (Yadav).
"We have played many matches in Ranji, India A and during practice. The more you keep, the better idea you develop. It becomes easier after a point. I've always played with them in all my 28 Tests," he said.
India boast of three spinners — Ashwin, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and left-arm chinaman Kuldeep Yadav -- all are very different from each other.
"Your 50 per cent job is done mainly by reading the hand at the point of release then you see how it bounces off the pitch and turns. The challenge is to hold on to all the balls, even if it turns or not."
Among the pacers, Saha picked Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami as the seam bowlers who pose a bigger challenge than swing.
"The ball wobbles after it goes past and it becomes tough for the wicketkeepers too. But being swing bowlers, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar there's not much of a problem."
Asked whether they would play three spinners, he said: "Ultimately we will decide as per the wicket and see who gets maximum purchase from the wicket."
He may have stepped down from the captaincy, but MS Dhoni is still seen overseeing the fielding in ODIs from behind the stumps and Saha said he also gives his inputs to the captain.
"The team management has decided that anyone can give a feedback. Kohli is usually in the slip cordon so I convey my inputs. But the ultimate decision is of the captain."
He added the drill is the same during a decision review.
"It's about being confident and conveying it to the captain. You should never have any doubt," he said.
india likely to field 3 pacers
The Indian team management is likely to field three frontline pacers in the first Test against Sri Lanka, keeping in mind the upcoming South Africa tour.
It has been learnt that the Indian team management wants tracks that are hard and bouncy without any major grass covering for all three home Tests — something they will be getting in South Africa.
Keeping that in mind, the grass cover was removed by the Eden Gardens groundsmen on Monday.
As India will have to go in with three specialist speedsters in South Africa, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav will be complemented by either Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Ishant Sharma.
Ishant led Delhi in three Ranji Trophy games this season, and more importantly, bowled really well in all the matches.
His back of the length bowling on hard tracks can be useful.
Similarly, Bhuvneshwar can be very useful considering the swing on offer during the early morning and post-tea session at the Eden Gardens.
The two specialist spinners are likely to be Ravichandran Ashwin and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav.
Ashwin was seen practising a lot of wrong 'uns while using the grip of a leg-break bowler.
On the other hand, skipper Virat Kohli was seen facing reverse swing throwdowns against a customised red and yellow ball.
These balls are specially designed so that batsmen can practice against reverse swing. One part of the seam is yellow coloured and the other is red. Normally, the throwdown expert tries to reverse it at a fast pace from 16 or 18 yards.
i asked for rest: Pandya
New Delhi: Clearing the ambiguity regarding his absence from the Indian squad for the first two Tests against Sri Lanka, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Monday said he himself had requested the team management for rest since he was not feeling 100 percent fit.
Pandya was included in the squad before being rested. The BCCI media release did not have clarity whether it was a case of fatigue or injury.
"To be honest, I asked for it. My body wasn't up to it. I was getting niggles because of the amount of cricket that I have played. I want to play cricket, when I am totally up for it, when I can give my 100 percent," Pandya told CNN-News18.
"I am lucky that I have got this break. I will train in the gym during this break and improve my fitness. I am really excited for South Africa series. I would like to use this break to improve my fitness," added Pandya, who will be at the NCA to improve strength and conditioning.