Uthappa hoping for a comeback to defend T20 WC

Out of international cricket for more than eight months now, Karnataka batsman Robin Uthappa said he was hoping to make a comeback to Team India for defending the Twenty20 World Cup in England in June.

The 23-year-old, who last played for India in the lost final against Sri Lanka in Asia Cup in July 2008, was among runs again in the domestic league and counting on the productive season to regain his place in the national team.

"I would love to be part of the second edition of the Twenty20 World Cup. It will be great to be again a part of the side that won the first Twenty20 World Cup," he told PTI in a freewheeling chat on the sidelines of Zonal One-Dayers for Deodhar Trophy.

"I am looking forward to defend our World Cup with great amount of pride. Hopefully,, after the IPL, god willing, if things go well, I should be there in the Twenty20 World Cup side. I am really looking forward to that."

The attacking South Zone batsman, who was dropped from Team India after Asia Cup following a string of poor runs, said it was quite a learning process being out of the side.

"It's a process of learning and I am taking it positively. I am taking this time to grow as a cricketer. I am taking this time to understand my batting, bowling and fielding... to contribute to the team more," Uthappa said.

"I have been fielding, bowling well and keeping as well. I have been a 'keeper and can bowl a bit. These are things that will obviously count in a Twenty20 cricket or one-dayers. These are options that I have kept open," he added.

After a successful Ranji Super League season and a good run in the NKP Salve Challenger Series in which he was adjudged Man-of-the-Series, Uthappa is confident of carrying the momentum and making himself more competitive at the highest level.

"Greats like Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly have gone through the lows. Only because they have gone through the lows that they have come up so hard and high. I believe it's a matter of time that I will be back in the side," he said.

"Our team is doing fantastically well at the moment. It's wonderful to see our team performing so well. After winning the World ICC Twenty20, I remember saying the next 15 years will be the best phase of Indian cricket and we are realising the dream.

"We are literally dominating the world now which is amazing. We all are performing very well, bonding really well," he added.