Opportunity knocks a second time

Pankaj puts Australia tour disappointment behind,gears up for Zimbabwe tri-series.

The neatly-folded flannels with India crest have not been aired since the 2007-08 Australia Test series; Pankaj Singh knows he is yet to cross the thin line between being part of the Indian squad and actually playing for India.

I havent made my debut yet,so how can I wear them, the lanky fast bowler from Rajasthan asks. I was in the side for the Australia tour but was not a playing member. In my heart,I always knew I could work my way back and earn the right to wear India colours, he says,excited about the fresh sets of Team India gear he has ahead of the Zimbabwe tour. Incidentally,he is one of only a handful of players in the current squad with prior experience of playing in Zimbabwe.

His Rajasthan team mates consider him an India player,and the last two years have seen the 25-year old try hard to ignore waves of sympathies how he was used as a net bowler in Australia tour and dumped thereafter,or how he was overshadowed by another rising speedster then Ishant Sharma. Instead,he insists all the talk only made him more determined.

Its disappointing when you are not given a chance to play you are in the side but not getting into the playing XI,thats difficult but you cant do much apart from bowl your heart out. Theres a process every newcomer has to go through and I tried to impress the team management at the nets. All that has now paid off,because that really made a statement about my commitment and is one of the reasons I am in the team today, he says.

Pankaj is aware that,this time too,hes been relegated to second spot behind Umesh Yadav,who earned fame with his ability to bowl 140-plus. He believes hype plays an important role,a quality he lacks. Hype always makes thing easy; one big performance and you walk straight into the team. I can also bowl 135 but someone like me needs to work extra hard to attract attention,keep proving yourself repeatedly before people say this guy is good, he says.

About the upcoming tour,Pankaj says pitches in Zimbabwe tend to favour speed. I was there five years ago and,at that time,it was helpful for medium pacers. We played days cricket,it must be different for the shorter formats but there will be something for the fast bowlers, he says.

As he and Royal Challengers Bangalore team mate R Vinay Kumar get ready as the new ball pair,Pankaj refutes claims that one IPL spell helped him clinch an India berth. I picked 30 wickets in four first-class matches; I followed it with 16 wickets in six one-day matches. I have consistent domestic performances,not just one IPL spell, he says.

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Unlike most fast bowlers,Pankaj doesnt believe in being aggressive at the batsmen. Aggression is not word of mouth,its an expression. I like to get angry at myself. I have to be aggressive if I have to achieve something but not by swearing. The inability to accept yourself as a failure brings out the aggression. It reminds me of how much more I have put in, he says.

Pankaj is confident that,this time around,he will earn the right to be referred as an India player. I have always had to work hard. Maybe,God wants me to complete my quota of hard work and I have no complaints, he signs off.