A running theme through all of India’s recent success stories was a young pace attack’s ability to overcome the massive hole his absence left in the tour Down Under.

Zaheer Khan had to leave the series midway, troubled by the left heel, and made way for Ishant Sharma.

The left-arm seamer is back from Johannesburg after intense rehabilitation at the Centre of Sports Medicine, and in an exclusive interview to The Indian Express, speaks about the frustration of sitting out with injury, the delight of seeing the younger crop taking centre-stage and the impending competition for the fast bowling slots. Excerpts:

What is the status of your heel injury? Will you be available for the upcoming South Africa series?

•I will be going to Bangalore the day after to meet the physio and will allow him to take a decision on that front. From my side, I have started running and slowly started to bowl at the nets, though not at full pace. The doctors whom I consulted abroad have advised me to build up slowly.

Having fought with injuries, you made a fantastic comeback last season; so how frustrating was it to break down again in middle of such an important series?

• Any injury at any time is very frustrating. But when you are doing well, you wouldn’t want to sit out at any cost.

For a player, it’s always frustrating to sit out either because of performance or injury but one has to take it in his stride. But having gone through it earlier, I have learnt to be patient.

... contd.