India head coach Rahul Dravid isn’t “hurt” that Wriddhiman Saha has revealed to the world the conversation that the two had at the end of the Test series in South Africa. Saha claimed that he had been told by the team management in South Africa that Team India were no longer considering him in their scheme of things.

Such a revelation from the wicketkeeper-batsman came after he was dropped from the squad for the upcoming home Test series versus Sri Lanka beginning next month.

“I’m actually not hurt at all. I have deep respect for Wriddhi and his achievements and his contribution to Indian cricket. My conversation with him came from that place.

“I think he deserved honesty and clarity,” Dravid said at the post-match news conference after the final T20I at the Eden on Sunday.

“It’s about conversations I constantly have with players. I don’t expect players to always agree with everything I say about them. That’s not how it works.

“You can have difficult conversations with the players, but that doesn’t mean you brush it under the carpet and don’t have the conversations. I always believe in having those conversations before every playing XI is picked and be open to questions such as why they (some of the players) are not playing.

“It’s natural for players to get upset and feel hurt. I was just trying to convey that with Rishabh Pant having established himself as our No.1 wicketkeeper-batsman, the idea was to say that we are looking to groom a younger wicketkeeper.

“However, this doesn’t change my feelings or respect for Wriddhi... Easiest thing for me is to not have those conversations and not speak to players about it. That’s not what I’m going to do. But at some stage, I hope they respect the fact that I was able to front up and have those conversations,” Dravid added.

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), on the other hand, are playing it safe when it comes to Saha’s return to the Bengal Ranji Trophy squad.

A couple of days before the Bengal squad was announced on February 8, Saha had come to know that he wouldn’t be considered any longer for Team India duties. He, thereafter, decided not to play Ranji Trophy this season. But after being dropped from the Sri Lanka Tests, Saha said he would be taking a call later on his availability if Bengal qualify for the knockout stage.

However, CAB secretary Snehasish Ganguly, on Sunday, hinted that the association is laying more emphasis on young wicketkeeper-batsman Abishek Porel, who hit an unbeaten 53 on Sunday helping Bengal register a superb win in their Ranji Trophy opener versus Baroda in Cuttack.