Irfan waiting to bowl

Irfan Pathan, making a comeback into the Indian team after two years, is eager to cash in on the opportunity given by the national selectors.
Pathan was Monday named in the India squad for the remaining two One-Day Internationals against the West Indies on the back of having had a successful season so far in the ongoing Ranji Trophy where he is the leading wicket-taker with a tally of 21 in four matches. The Baroda all-rounder last played for India during the World Twenty20 in England in 2009.

'I am really happy to get back into the team. It is a great feeling. It has been a long wait for two years and god has fulfilled my dreams. Nothing comes better than playing for your country. If given the opportunity to play, I will try to do my best,' Pathan told reporters.

Pathan was dropped from the Indian team after his bowling form dipped. The ability to swing the ball both ways that made him a regular in the side suddenly disappeared. He had a frustrating domestic season in 2010 when he also suffered a severe back injury.

Pathan remembered the tough times in his career and said it made his return all the more worthwhile.

'It makes every second of the struggle worthwhile. You feel blessed when your hard work is rewarded.'

'The dream to play for the country has always been there. When it is fulfilled, you feel nothing gets better than this. Having all the luxuries in life - having a big car, big house - nothing comes close to this,' said Pathan. He was also in the running for Praveen Kumar's replacement in the Test squad for Australia but lost out to Abhimanyu Mithun.

He would be looking forward to impress the selectors and get a berth in the ODI squad for the tri-nation series in Australia.

Pathan has taken 100 wickets in 29 Tests and and 152 scalps in 107 One-Day Internationals.

Abhimanyu Mithun is the replacement of Praveen Kumar for Australia tour; Irfan Pathan get selected for last 2 ODIs vs West Indies

Abhimanyu Mithun, the Karnataka fast bowler, has been named as Praveen Kumar's replacement in India's Test squad for their tour of Australia. After Praveen was ruled out of the Tests with a fractured rib, the selectors had to add another seamer to the 17-man squad and the place was expected to go to either one of Mithun, Vinay Kumar or Irfan Pathan. Vinay Kumar and Irfan have been left out and Mithun, who has played four Tests for India, the last in Barbados in May, has been called up.

Mithun took six wickets in three Tests in his debut series - the tour of Sri Lanka in July 2010 - and impressed the team management with his strength and spirited bowling on flat tracks. He, however, had to make way for the returning Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth after that series, and waited till May 2011 for his next opportunity in a Test. He took three wickets in the Test against West Indies in Barbados and was subsequently left out of India's tour of England. He has also been out of India's one-day squads, only being called up as a replacement for other players.

He replaced Praveen for the home ODIs against West Indies. He and Vinay both played the third ODI, at Motera; Vinay took 2 for 39 in eight overs while Mithun took just one wicket and conceded 47 runs in his seven overs. Vinay has been a more regular part of India one-day team - he has 13 wickets from his last eight ODIs - but has never been part of an Indian Test squad.

Irfan, meanwhile, has not played for India since 2009, but drew attention because of his performance in this season's Ranji Trophy, in which he is the leading wicket-taker in the Elite division with 21 scalps.

Mithun joins Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron and Ishant Sharma in India's pace department for the Australia tour, with Zaheer Khan selected provisionally, subject to him proving his fitness before the squad's departure.