The Indian team now has a young captain in Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh as his deputy in smashing form, both of whom Raina says are his good friends. “I have been a part of a winning team along with Dhoni and Yuvi and it is very exciting to play with them. We know each other well and I also know that Dhoni thinks a lot about the game. There are seniors too and all that is a great advantage,” he says.

Raina’s batting in the middle-order will be surrounded by the likes of Rohit Sharma, Robin Uthappa, Dhoni and Yuvraj, and he knows that there’ll be competition too. The southpaw, however, is ready for it.

Raina’s 85 against Delhi in the Ranji finals cleared the last bit of doubt, if at all, the selectors must have had. The Ghaziabad cricketer played fluently before an edge to the wicket-keeper deprived him of a century.

“I will use the Ranji form to my betterment. I will try to make this comeback a special one,” he said.

Raina has travelled to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar scholarship and the experience, he says, will benefit him. “I have a good idea of the wickets there and, believe me, it’s a delight for any batsman. The only thing that matters there is what kind of frame of mind you are in,” he says.