When the reporting verb is in the past (e.g., He said..., She told me...), the tense of the original statement changes:

Direct Speech	Reported Speech
Present Simple: I need help.	Past Simple: He said he needed help.
Present Continuous: It is raining.	Past Continuous: She said it was raining.
Past Simple: I saw him.	Past Perfect: He said he had seen him.
Present Perfect: I have eaten.	Past Perfect: She said she had eaten.
Will: I will call you.	Would: He said he would call me.
Can: I can swim.	Could: She said she could swim.