I was in peak form last week: Harbhajan

Off spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has been out-of-favour with the national selectors since last August, has said that he is feeling a lot relieved now after performing well in the last week for his county side Essex. He has picked up 11 wickets in the last 2 games, including a 5 for 37 against Netherlands in a Pro-40 game.

"I don't know whether the India call-up worked as a tonic but I have been in prime form for Essex during the past week. I feel a lot relieved as if a huge load is off my chest. For the past week, the weather has been good and it helped my rhythm," Harbhajan told PTI in an interview from England.

"I am a professional player and it is my duty to contribute for Essex. It's a great team and I would be grateful to the management as this county stint has helped in my comeback bid"

Harbhajan says that he has been working hard and doing so continuously, and the only thing on his mind now is a return to the national side.

"I never thought that I needed a holiday. I have been fighting hard to earn my place back in the Indian side and I needed to work hard for that. For me, the greatest relaxation is playing the game. I know when I require a break but it's certainly not the time to take a break,"

The stint with Essex has given Harbhajan a chance to bowl long spells, which, he says, has given him a chance to get back to proper rhythm.

"I needed to bowl long spells and I am glad that I have been able to bowl a few long spells. I am happy about the first innings spell (against Glamorgan) as I was able to get breakthroughs after opposition batsmen were set. In the second innings, the time was very limited but I got the top three cheaply"

"A bowler knows when his rhythm is good. I can feel that I am bowling well. I can feel the seam which is necessary, the grip on the ball feels good. As I have been bowling long spells, I am able to try out variations which is not possible in the T20 set-up where the margin of error is very little"

Harbhajan has been picked in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup, but he is happy to play the longer formats for Essex before he gets back to India.

"I am happier to play first-class matches as more you bowl, the more control you have. The longer spells help you to get into groove straightaway when one plays in one dayers or T20s. Before returning to India, I will be playing a couple of Pro-40s and that will also help in my preparation."

The spinner also had a word of praise for VVS Laxman, who retired recently, and fondly remembered the game against Australia in Kolkata, where Laxman scored 281 before Harbhajan sealed the game with the ball.

"His innings (281) helped me to go all-out at the Aussies. He has been an equally amazing human being apart from being a legend that he is. I would surely miss him in the Indian dressing room"