First things first, what is the status of your back injury?

I have fully recovered from the injury to my lower back. It took so long was because I wanted to be completely sure of cent per cent recovery before I take the field. I spent most of my time in Australia and England going through the rehab process. I initially wanted to play some county cricket but decided against it because I felt at that time I wasn’t ready for the longer version. So I opted to play a few practice matches and slowly test myself. I would play a game and then rest a week until I was totally sure of myself.

You still wear a protection guard on your left ankle. Do past injuries still haunt you?

No, I have been wearing this ever since I had a surgery. Like I said, I have no niggles. If you keep thinking about your past injuries and try to be safe, then it’s not possible to bowl fast. So I consciously try not to think about anything, just run in to bowl.

You are ready for the domestic grind then?

Yes, of course. Ever since I returned, I have been training for a couple of hours in the morning, hitting at the nets daily, bowling at full blast and doing fielding practice. What I now need is a lot of matches under my belt. I still have a month to go before the domestic season starts. I am looking to figure in the teams for Irani Trophy, Duleep and the Challenger. The month of October is very crucial for me to make my presence felt.

... contd.