Bengaluru, March 5: Fast-bowler, Zaheer Khan who has been the lynchpin of India’s bowling attack in recent times, enjoys the responsibility the position bestows on him. Acknowledging the merits of MS Dhoni’s captaincy, he discussed his bowling and role in the team in an exclusive interview with bcci.tv.

Does the intensity change when you take on a non-Test playing nation?

Not really. You know the focus is on you, you know what you want to change and an international game is an international game so you know you have to look at it that way. You go to sleep thinking that you are going to play an international game tomorrow and you’re going to do well for your country.

The last game against England went down to the wire. Talk us through your over that brought India back into the game.

Well, we scored enough runs on board, 340 was a big enough total so I always knew that the game is going to go till the end. I knew we always had a chance to come back in the game even if England were putting pressure on us and going strongly. Taking wickets always helps to restrict the run-rate so that’s what I was looking to do. I bowled that spell, got two wickets and that definitely brought India back into the game.

How do you handle the responsibility of being the pivotal bowler in the side?

Well, added responsibility is always good. I feel it keeps you going, it keeps you motivated right through. I am certainly enjoying the responsibility which is on my shoulders which is to provide early breakthroughs. [Apart from that I look to] help other bowlers if possible and provide those crucial breakthroughs for the team. As a bowler you want to do well at the highest level. You want to be an important part of the bowling line-up, to have that reputation of an impact player in games and that’s what is very thrilling.

Do you look to advise the less experienced seamers like Munaf Patel and S Sreesanth?

Well, not to that level. I feel that they are very good bowlers they have done really well [at the highest] level. They both are very talented so they don’t need that much of my help which is a good thing. [I do help out with] bits and pieces, fine tuning here and there. If any thoughts are there, if I see anything [worth discussing], I go up to them. I am never shy about going up to them and having a word.

What are the areas that you think the bowlers need to work on based on the team’s performance so far in the tournament?

It’s just the start of the tournament – [there’s a] really long way to go. It’s really important from India’s point of view to pick up momentum at the right time - we need to peak at the right time. I feel we as a team have been doing well. We needed to have a close game like we had against England so we could know exactly what pressure is in such a big tournament. Especially for the young guys and for the team, it was really important to have a tough game so I am really happy about the way things are going right now for Team India.

Are there any specific measures which the team is taking to avoid injury scares?

When you are in the game, you are not thinking about all these things. When you are in the game, you are in that moment. You want to give your best on the field and these are things you are not worried about in a game. Outside of it, yes, you can only do all the right things as far as the preparation is concerned and the measures which you take to avoid injuries are concerned. But you cannot do anything beyond.

Could you throw some light on your use of reverse swing?

Well, so far I haven’t really got the white ball to go reverse but it will be nice if the ball [does that]. The idea is for me to get some reverse swing.

How is MS Dhoni different from other captains you have played under?

All captains have their own style and MS [Dhoni] also has got a style of his own while leading the side. I have been fortunate to have worked under captains who kind of understood me as a bowler and gave me the freedom to do what I wanted to do on the field. And the same goes for MS. He has also been really good, he gives me my space, he understands the needs of a fast bowler in terms of when to give him a longer spell or a smaller spell or how to preserve him as such. So in that sense he’s been really good.