"My speed is good," says Harbhajan Singh, looking thoughtfully at the TV in his room at the Taj Samudra, showing recordings of his spell against Bangladesh. "I am bowling slower."
He is not the only one looking at the bowling keenly. After a seven-month stint in the wilderness, on Wednesday, almost everyone was eager to see how he fared. For the bowler himself, more than elation, it is a feeling of great relief.
"First of all, I was very happy to be part of the XI," he says, speaking to the Hindustan Times. "I was also tense, after all, I would be playing my first game in seven months. I didn't have confidence but I thought it was just a matter of two-three overs that I'd get it back.
"It was very painful," Harbhajan said recalling the first practice match in Melbourne during the tour of Australia. "I got hit on the hand a couple of times during the game. I was 50-50 whether to play in the Test or not. But I had gone all the way to Australia and I wanted to play despite the pain. My team wanted me to play as well because I had done well against them in 2001.
But more than the physical pain, it is the mental agony and the feeling of being let down that the off-spinner wants to forget. "When you do well, a lot of people will come behind you, they will want to be your friend and hang out with you. When you are not doing well hardly anyone supports you. That's the time you recognise your friends and these are my real friends who want me to do well.
{{/usCountry}}But more than the physical pain, it is the mental agony and the feeling of being let down that the off-spinner wants to forget. "When you do well, a lot of people will come behind you, they will want to be your friend and hang out with you. When you are not doing well hardly anyone supports you. That's the time you recognise your friends and these are my real friends who want me to do well.
{{/usCountry}}"I just want to forget those seven months. Now I am back and playing for the country. I want to get back to winning matches for India."
The finger injury that laid him low had created many headlines. Harbhajan was criticised for delaying the operation, as also utilising the opportunity to go abroad for personal gains. It still rankles.
"Many people told me you should have done this (the operation). I went to Australia in July and thought I will go for it. I spoke to the doctor, Andrew Leipus and senior team members. They said no, keep the operation as the last option because getting operated on is a big thing.”
At that time, he says, there was no talk about the Pakistan tour. “I was thinking of the home series (against New Zealand) and the Australia tour and thought I would play these matches. I spoke to the team management and Leipus and they said if this was the case, I should avoid the operation at the time. They said take the injection and do the exercises and maybe I would get better.
"I did what everyone advised. It wasn't just me taking the decision, I'm not a doctor. I read in the newspapers that I had gone to Australia for endorsements. I thought if that is what you think, that's cool. I don't mind what people say as long as long as I know myself that I am doing the right thing."
Amidst all the hype, we tend to forget that the bowler comes from a modest background, and that is a constant worry. "My mother was worried whether my hand would be okay or not. I'm her only son and everything depends on me. She was worried and so was I but I was also confident that I would come out of it and everything would turn out for the better.
"By the grace of God everything is okay. My family is happy, I'm happy and my friends are happy. They are all happy to see me playing again."
Asked how the hand was holding up, Harbhajan replies: "It's fine, there is no pain and it's holding up well. Thank you very much God."
Hopefully, the magic will be back, sooner rather than later.