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ShareMumbai: AR Rahman's Oscar-winning Jai Ho! greets every caller who dials his number and S Sreesanth was probably crooning his way to glory on Tuesday after the national selection committee included him in the Indian Test team for the three-match home series against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
"Swamiye Sharanamayyappa. I'm so happy. I really want to thank the selectors for having faith in me," was the temperamental pacer's first reaction to DNA. "This is a new beginning for me. I am sorry for all that I have done so far. I let down a lot of people in the past and I just want to focus on my bowling now."
To put things in perspective, this national call-up is nothing less than a lifeline to resurrect his stop-start career marred with injuries and on-field shenanigans, the famous being the Slapgate episode involving Harbhajan Singh. His 'attitude' had earned the wrath of even MS Dhoni and that too in one of the skipper's syndicated newspaper columns. "There is nothing like that. Bhajji and I patched up long back. He is like an elder brother," Sreesanth declared.
When asked if he'll feel a touch awkward after meeting his teammates again, Sree was quick to shoot, "Why man? The Indian team is like family. I'm sure they will all accept me and besides, I just want to play, play and play cricket. I don't want to be out of that dressing room ever. I want to ensure the team wins the Test series." He added, "I don't want to take names but I have started getting congratulatory messages and from my India teammates already."
Former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar feels this is a "great opportunity for Sreesanth". "I think Sree should now let the ball do the talking," Vengsarkar said. One can only agree.
