The wait was really painful: Sourav

• Nice to be opening again, more so because it’s a familiar feeling. I remember my success as an opener so coming back to bat in that slot feels good. The important thing is that as long as you’re getting runs, it’s a comfortable zone and thankfully, since I’ve made a comeback, the three matches so far have been good. I have batted well and therefore, it adds to the pleasure of opening again.

Coming back and scoring runs for India after a gap of 15 months is not easy. But how difficult was it in your case?

• Thankfully we have started winning again, which is very good. Personally too, it helps a lot. There was a lot of frustration for me in those 15 months. I won’t go into all that once again but yes, coming back from there and doing well is obviously the best thing to happen. Especially because in the last eight-odd one-dayers, we just weren’t winning. Now that all of it has turned around, it’s easier to hold on to your concentration. The good part is that even after the 15-month gap, I was able to pull out all stops when I batted for India again.

In 2005, when you were struggling with your bat, did you ever desperately feel like trying to go back and open again? Did it occur to you that opening would have probably helped to get back your rhythm? You had once talked about it too.

• When Pakistan visited India that year for the Test and ODI series, I wasn’t getting runs. But, I was still batting at number three. Batting in that position is still quite up the order. I will agree that the opening slot is the best place to bat in one-day cricket, but it is the toughest too. The ball is new and given the fact that bowlers study your weaknesses so well, it isn’t the easiest thing. But even at number three, it’s almost the same as opening, not much of a difference. So I won’t say that I wasn’t batting on top of the order. I was going through a lean patch, but I don’t think opening again might have changed all that.

After playing at the international level for so many years, how difficult is it to motivate yourself at the domestic level and keep scoring. Especially when you are struggling?

• At the domestic level it is very hard to motivate yourself. When I was left out of the national team and had to get back to the Ranji and Duleep Trophy, it was frustrating. You always want to keep motivating yourself and that’s important. But when I was playing Ranji, I had to wait desperately for a comeback and that was really difficult.

Motivation at the international level comes automatically, because you are representing your country. In domestic cricket, I had set myself a certain period of time to work on my comeback. I got a hundred in Duleep Trophy, averaged 100 in Ranji last season. Since I had been dropped, except for Challenger, I tried to get runs in every tournament. That’s the only way I could get back and I had to work on it. So it was the wait that was really painful.

There is perception that Sourav Ganguly doesn’t play his cricket with his bat. He plays it with his mind.

• Everybody does it. This is my eleventh year in international cricket and for someone who’s been around for so long, it’s the same. You got to be mentally very tough to do well at this level. You have to be very strong because there will be lows as much as there will be highs. The lows are going to bring you down a lot. So, being mentally tough is the most important thing. During my batting stints in the domestic circuit, I tried to concentrate a lot and given the fact that I was looking for a comeback, it required a lot of mental strength.

When you prepare for your innings, how free are you now as compared to earlier? Earlier, you were the captain and there were a lot of other things you had to concentrate on other than just your batting. Now you have all the time for yourself.

• Captaincy is a very tough job. It’s a different ball game and very hard work, especially if you are captaining India. It’s also a big honour. The longer you stay the captain of India, the harder it gets. Either you take it or you leave it. So obviously when you are not the captain, there’s a lot more freedom to just leave everything else aside and concentrate on your personal game. Your mind is free and you have a lot more time to think.

Can you recall your best memories and how does it help you now when you’re not leading the side?

• Oh, I have phenomenal memories. If I sit back and think, winning the series in Pakistan, levelling the series in Australia, beating Australia in India, reaching the World Cup final, those NatWest victories, they’re just awesome memories. But everything has its good effects and bad effects. I enjoyed my stint as the captain, now I’m trying to enjoy my stint as a cricketer. When you are captain, you are either practicing, talking to selectors, part of the team management, chalking out gameplan, so it can get really hard.

Before you left for South Africa, there were a lot of questions as to whether you would survive the pressure. Can you tell us about the trip?

• I have a lot of faith in my ability and it doesn’t matter what people think. What matters is what you think about yourself. If you believe you have it in you to succeed, how can anything stop you? I have got runs in Australia, South Africa, England and everywhere before this. It was just about getting the opportunity. As I said, I was waiting to have a go and it came at the right time.

Would you be comfortable now if you were to be shuffled up and down the order, continuously?

• I don’t think I should make a statement on that now. Let the situation arise and then we’ll think about it. As of now, I have been asked to open and I have done well in the three matches so far. So far so good and I want to keep that going.

From your past experience of the West Indies, can you tell us what is it going to be like for India during the World Cup?

• West Indies will be good for us because there’ll be good batting wickets to suit our team. If we can bat well we will be a force in the West Indies. Batting talent in this team is enormous so there is no reason why we can’t do it. I’m sure our batting will click. There are youngsters waiting for the opportunity and the seniors with lots of experience and it can be a very good blend. The wickets there are helpful for spinners too and we have two very good ones.

In the last 15-odd months, when you wanted to share your mind with somebody or talk about your batting, who did you go to?

• I usually knew what I had to do or what I wanted so I didn’t have to go to anybody. Of course, there were a few things I did speak with my long time coach in Kolkata and we discussed a few things. He’s seen me batting when I was just about starting but other than that, I didn’t really go to anyone.

There was quite an emotional outrage in the country when you weren’t being picked. From the streets to the temples to Parliament, there were prayers and discussions. You had become an essential national debate. How did all that effect you?

• It was nice to see the general sentiment of people in India. When people love you so much and shower their affection, it’s a great feeling. Sadly, emotions and sentiments don’t play a role in this era of modern sport but I have to be thankful for all of that.

Will you write a book some day?

• Yes.

When?

• I am very busy now (smiles). But some time in future, I will.