'I'll try and play with controlled aggression' - Sehwag

These might be tough times, but laughter is still never too far away with Virender Sehwag. He has made a comeback of sorts, finding a place in the Twenty20 team, but still has plenty of work to do, having failed to make the cut for the one-dayers in England and Scotland. Shortly before the Indian selectors announced the squads, Sehwag spoke exclusively to Cricinfo's Anand Vasu. Sehwag was calm, cool, sober, as you would expect from a superstar who has been left out in the cold, but was not despairing. The Twenty20 selection is a foot in the door, but it is the bigger prize that Sehwag is after.

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It was very disappointing. It hurts when you're dropped from the Indian team. When you've played for six years and suddenly when you're dropped because you're not performing well consistently, it hurts. What I am doing is working on my fitness and batting. I'm trying to control my mind so it helps me play longer innings and convert the 30s and 40s into big ones like 50s or maybe 100s. It hurts when you're dropped from the Indian team - they are playing and you're sitting out and watching them, it hurts.

I don't know about that. You should ask this question to the selectors. I didn't score runs in three Tests in South Africa and after that they dropped me. Now I have to perform everywhere I go and play. I have to play consistently and keep scoring runs.

Right now there is no domestic cricket. I was even searching in county cricket, but counties don't want batsmen. They're mostly signing bowlers. I'm playing in the KSCA invitational tournament but I don't think this performance will count for an India comeback. I'm playing for ONGC, my company, and whenever I get a chance to play first-class cricket I'll score runs and try to get back into the side.

I don't think I have any technical fault. I'm batting now in the way I have batted for the last six years. The only problem is that you have to face this kind of time and try to play as safe as you can. That's the problem, especially the mental thing. When you're not getting runs you're mentally affected. Your mindset is different from when you're getting runs. That's the only difference I find in my batting. If I try to just stay out there and spend time at the wicket then maybe I'll get scores. I got 40 batting at No. 6 in the last Test I played. It could be just a matter of one innings and I'll get back into the rhythm and get back to performing. I don't think there's any problem with my technique. I'm not changing my technique, I'm not changing my style but yes I have to adjust a little bit when I'm not getting runs. The difference is in the mindset.

Absolutely. I don't think these performances will count for any batsman. If you want to get back in the side you have to play at least at the first-class level and perform. This tournament is at the club level and it's very difficult to motivate yourself. Bowlers are slow, sometimes you get wickets that are not good ... it's hard, but I'm playing for ONGC and though I haven't made big hundreds I manage to get 50s and 60s.

Right now I'm missing just cricket. That's it. I want to play cricket and I'm missing playing at the international level. When you're dropped it hurts and I'm disappointed. Meanwhile I'm working on my fitness and batting. I'm also spending some time doing yoga, some visualisation exercises and trying to control my mind.

I don't think it has affected my personality.

I'll try to perform consistently. If you perform well then you'll stay in the team. If you don't then you have to go out. When I get back I'll try and play with controlled aggression and score big runs. That's it.

Yes, yes. I'm still enjoying playing cricket with ONGC. I'm playing with some of my old friends and in the last tournaments I've played for ONGC we've won all, and I've made runs each time. So there's benefit to my company as well when I play.

Of course, when you're out of the team you learn a lot of things. You learn how to control your emotions, and try and get back. You might change your game a little bit and your hunger is increased when you come back. That sort of thing helps.

When you play international cricket and are scoring runs then everyone expects that you'll score runs in the next game you play as well. And the next series. When you don't make runs everybody is upset and you also get upset. That sometimes creates a problem for a batsman or a bowler. Expectations are so high and when you can't fulfill that expectation the pressure builds up game by game.