England pacer Ryan Sidebottom may miss the first few matches of the seven-match One-day International series against India as he hasn't completely recovered from an injury sustained during the recent Stanford Super Series in the West Indies.
It will be another setback for the left-armer who played his first Test in 2001 and waited six long years to play his second. Having taken 76 wickets in just 17 Tests inside 14 months of his comeback, things started to look up for this 30-year-old when injury struck.
However, Sidebottom, who is on his first India tour, is hopeful of not only playing later in the series [after missing the first couple of ODIs] but also certain of making an impact on the placid wickets he will encounter. Excerpts from a conversation with Bikash Mohapatra.
How fit are you at the moment?
Still not 100 per cent just yet. It's been frustrating last couple of months. But that is the way it goes. It's been a heavy schedule for the last 12 or 14 months. But things have gone well for me. There is nothing I can do about it than just go to train, stay fit and get back to playing. Steve (Harmison) and Fred (Flintoff ) have come back and I'm just glad to be a part of this bowling unit.
When does an injury become a worry?
I think you are just going to have injuries throughout your career. That's just the way it goes. No worries at all. I suppose, 18 months ago I probably wasn't even thinking about the game. So, I am just happy. I have been honoured with another central contract. So I am obviously delighted with that.
It's the right Achilles' that has been bothering you...
Yes, it's been troubling me for a while. My rehab and everything was fine until that Stanford game against Middlesex. It was unfortunate.
You had a fantastic 18 months and then with this injury you suddenly lost the grip. Are you a bit philosophical about it?
Yes, I had a bad time with injuries but there is nothing I can do about it. I just need to get on with it.
I have been pretty consistent. I have enjoyed my time. I wanted a career playing for England, wanted to be a part of the squad and I will fight for my place again. We have a good bowling unit now and we have to help each other and the team. That's good thing for England.
Is there a time frame when you will bowl again? You are definitely going to miss the opening few matches
It can be any time. I'm feeling really good. The medical staff has been working with me and told me I would be back in a couple of weeks. I don't think I'll be available to play in the first couple of matches, probably the first one-dayer, but should be there for selection after that.
This is your first trip to India. Isn't it?
I went to Chennai to the Dennis Lillee Clinic [the MRF Pace foundation] for two years to learn my bowling, I suppose. But this is my first tour to India.
How do you compare yourself to Mitchell Johnson, yet another left-arm fast bowler who did well in the four Tests here?
Every bowler is different from the other for sure. I pride myself on my line and length, making the batsmen play as much as possible. In the subcontinent, it's not going to be easy. I think you have got to change your line and length to force them do something different and hopefully, get some movement, maybe reverse swing.
The ball doesn't swing as much over here, so, maybe, try to make the most of the new ball and then just settle in to put the batsmen under pressure and stop them from scoring boundaries, which is the key in India.
Do you expect conditions in India to be similar to those in Sri Lanka last year?
Yeah, I think so. We spoke about what we need to do it as a unit. You need to have some variations and put the batsmen slower balls and make them play as much as possible. Maybe, your lines need to be tighter on the off-stump and not give them enough width to free their hands.
The Sri Lanka experience will definitely hold us in good stead. You can't take experience away. That was the first time we moulded as a unit and, hopefully, we will learn from that and improve.
How did you manage to learn things so quickly in Sri Lanka?
Just video analysis, sitting down as bowlers and talking about how they were bowling in the sub-continent wickets. We just copied them and I think that worked for us.
The Australian fast bowling attack really struggled in India. Is that weighing on your minds?
No, not at all. I mean, the Aussies have a got good bowling unit but the wickets here are conducive to batting. You just have got to try and find a way, change your angles and stuff like that. We are a good bowling unit and we will help each other out.
As a bowler how do you keep yourself motivated, especially when you are not getting wickets?
Just got to keep going, keep plugging away. There are probably matches or series where you have bowled well and not got wickets and vice-versa. That's just the way the game goes. We have got great team spirit and we all look after each other. It's obviously going to be a big learning curve here. Obviously, doing well and winning over here is important, but you musn't forget the bigger picture that is the Ashes. The best batsmen in the world are here and it's going to be a great challenge to bowl to them.
Your take on Stuart Broad?
Such a young guy, he's got a level head. He's improving all the time. His form has been amazing over the last 12 months. His Test cricket is improving. He's going to be a great asset for many a years. We should take care not to criticise him too much and put him under too much pressure. He also gets good advice from his father (Chris). But we should take care that he doesn't play every match.
Finally, how is it like playing under Kevin Pietersen's captaincy?
It's been fantastic since he's come in. He's very passionate and brings in a lot of new ideas, and he wants to win and it's rubbing off on all players. We're not under any illusions at the moment. It's going to be a tough series. We are playing against a good team, which is in good form.
Photographs: Bikash Mohapatra
