Nehra, the perennial Mr Unfit, looks forward to cement his place in the team after a four-year exile from international cricket

Back on track: India left-armer Ashish Nehra during a training session at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur yesterday. Pic/Suresh KK

For a sportsman, Ashish Nehra has a unique problem. "With me it was never about whether I was good enough. It was always about whether I was fit enough," he says. After a gap of almost four years he last played a series in Zimbabwe in September 2005 and two ankle surgeries later Nehra made a comeback in June this year in the West Indies and hasn't looked back.

After a rigorous net session ahead of today's second ODI against Australia, Nehra took time off to talk about his injury time and return to international cricket. Excerpts:

What was the feeling like after playing your first comeback match?
It was a relief to get back. I never thought I couldn't bowl 10 overs. I had played Indian Premier League earlier and bowled for more than two hours in the nets. Only after that did I tell everyone that I was fit to play one-dayers. So, there was never any doubt about my fitness.