Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh (popularly known as 'Turbanator') made his comeback into Team India Test squad against Bangladesh last month.
And this month, he was seen donning the blue jersey during India's tour of Zimbabwe after a hiatus of two years.
Harbhajan Singh said that he always believed that he could play for India during his time away from international cricket.
He definitely caught the attention of the selectors after his performance in the Indian Premier Legaue (IPL) 2015. As a result, he was given a chance to prove his worth yet again when India took on Bangladesh in a one-off Test match last month.
However, the match ended in a draw but he bowled really well alongside Ravichandran Ashwin.
"It felt wonderful. It was the moment I had waited for for two years. There wasn't a single minute during those two years when I thought I would not play international cricket again. I always believed that I will play for India again and win matches. So, when I got on the field for the Bangladesh Test, I was really pleased and relieved that I was finally where I wanted to be. Now I need to continue to work hard on my game in order to keep doing my bit for the team.
"When I started bowling, I wanted to get settled first since I was playing a Test after a long gap. There was a feeling of anxiety before the match. I just wanted it to begin quickly and get that ball in my hand. When I did come on to bowl, for the first three-four overs I didn't try to do much, just land the ball in the right areas.
"Once I got settled, I told myself, 'Okay, just give your best now and do what you know you can do'. My team-mates were all the young guys who have seen me bowl for years. They all got behind me, cheering me on and making a lot of noise for every good ball I bowled. They made me very comfortable and I really enjoyed the whole experience," Harbhajan Singh said in an interview to BCCI.tv.
After the Bangladesh tour, BCCI selectors decided to rest the senior players for the tour to Zimbabwe. In the absence of Ashwin, it was obvious that the responsibilty would be transferred to the seasoned Indian off-spinner. And Singh did not disappoint, picking up six wickets in four matches that he played.
He was rested for the last Twenty20 (T20) game against the hosts on Sunday and Sanju Samson made his international debut in the shorter format of the game.
Singh was economical and picked up wickets at crucial points in the game during this series.
"Initially when I was dropped, I didn't get too disheartened. I took it on the chin thinking if I am not selected today, I will, tomorrow. Every time the Indian team was to be announced, I hoped my name would be on the list. When it wasn't, I got upset and disappointed each time and I had to distract myself to get out of that zone," said Singh.
Now, Singh is looking forward to the upcoming Test series and is confident that he will stay fit and continue to perform well for India.
"I do really look forward to this season. I want to enjoy every bit of it and win matches for India. I have taken a lot of stress and pressure playing for India but now I want to enjoy it. I want to be the happiest man on the field and be thankful every day that I am playing the game I love the most.
"Stay fit and live every day to the fullest. Don't think too far, enjoy and be thankful for what you have today. I don't know what is going to happen five years down the line. I am over that sort of mindset. I want to appreciate what I have right now," added Singh.
