The mind is itching, but the body isn't willing. You can almost sense RP Singh getting flustered at not being part of the one-day team in the ongoing tri-series in Australia as the paceman watches India take on Sri Lanka on TV at his hotel room in their sixth match. "Yuvraj Singh out ho gaya, Chaminda Vaas yorker…,” he says with disappointment plastered on his face as India suffer another big jolt during their chase.

Mid-way through the final Test against Australia at Adelaide last month, RP suffered a Level I hamstring injury on his left knee and subsequently had to return home needing at least two weeks' time to recuperate. The Uttar Pradesh player has been going through a rehabilitation programme at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore for the past one week and has started bowling at the nets though not at full throttle. "I am bowling at 70 per cent of my run up, but with full intensity," he says.   

It was a memorable tour Down Under for the 22-year-old bowler, who emerged as the leader of the young pack in the absence of an injured Zaheer Khan. After a forgettable outing in the first Test at Melbourne, where he bagged just two wickets, RP claimed 11 wickets in the next two Tests to come in for some special praise from his captain Anil Kumble.     

RP attributes part of his success to Kumble. "The good thing about having Kumble as captain is that he is a bowler and being a fellow bowler he understands me better as in what's going through my mind, how I am feeling after a particular over or a spell… In that way it was great having him as skipper."

RP was a little unfortunate to get injured at a time when he was finding the conditions to his liking. "Injuries are part of the game especially for fast bowlers," he reasons. "You can't avoid these things. It's a bit disappointing that I got injured when I was enjoying the conditions and doing well. Yes I am feeling bad about it, but still what can I do?" he wonders.

The left-arm seamer also feels it's a bit worrying to see so many fast bowlers getting injured so often. "The problem is that we are playing lots of cricket, travelling so much… It's a very hectic schedule. I have not been able to maintain that time to take care of myself and it's same with the others," he explains.
Injuries notwithstanding, RP thinks there is healthy competition with the emergence of a clutch of young pacemen. "It's a healthy and good competition amongst us. I don't feel threatened or worried about this. In fact I feel happy that my department is doing well," he remarks.

Marked shift
Post-Australia Test series there is a marked shift in the attention the bowlers are getting, but RP sounds modest about it. "I don't see any difference the way we (bowlers) are treated now. I think it's all about performance. I think people of India always admire whoever does well," he says.

And the bowler has been performing well in the last couple of series in conditions as varying as England and Australia and balls as different as the Duke and Kookaburra. It was amazing how the bowler, touring for the first time to both the countries with the Indian side, found so much success. "I think a couple of practice matches will help you get used to the conditions," he says matter-of-factly. "I feel the main thing for a fast bowler in those kind of pitches is to get the length right. In England I had a chance to play a few county matches before the Test series and that helped me to do well. I went to Australia with the same thinking line. Unfortunately our practice match was washed out but after the Melbourne Test, you could see how well we were bowling. Plus the presence of Venkatesh Prasad helped us a lot. He knows how to bowl in those conditions and his inputs were of great help," he elaborates.

The gangling bowler believes Australia is the biggest test for a fast bowler to prove his worth just as it is for the batsmen to prove their greatness. "They have good pitches to bat on once you get stuck in because the ball comes on nicely onto the bat. I think bowling to Australians in Australia is the ultimate test for a bowler," he says while admitting that it isn't easy bowling on the sub-continent pitches either.

"I would also say it's quite tough bowling on sub-continent pitches, because the conditions don't often favour the fast bowlers. There is not much lateral movement initially and the bounce is not there. It's really disappointing to see the ball not carrying to the wicketkeeper. There is no satisfaction. But having grown up playing on these pitches, you know what kind of line and length to adopt. Plus you also use different ball here. The SG ball that we play with in India starts moving after 10-15 overs whereas the Kookaburra stops moving after 10-15 overs," he explains. 

Post Australia, RP believes, he is a more confident bowler and that only augurs well for India.