Johannesburg: Senior pro and India’s most successful off-spinner (330 wickets in Tests, 200-plus in ODIs), Harbhajan Singh, recently spoke to The Telegraph for around 45 minutes. He didn’t duck any question.

The following are excerpts

Q Anil Kumble’s retirement last November has made you the senior spinner in all forms. Are you enjoying this responsibility?

A Actually, my role hasn’t changed... I may not have been the senior-most when Anilbhai was around, but that made no difference to my approach on the field... I always saw it as my responsibility to get wickets, to help India win... That way, then, there’s no change. In fact, I enjoy responsibility and look to better my performances.

Was Kumble a big influence?

I consider myself fortunate that I could play with him for so many years... One learns from top performers like him... He gave his best shot, always.

The point about responsibility is taken, but are you under more pressure now?

Yes, it’s more, because Anilbhai isn’t around to share it... Share the burden, so to say... The expectations are higher, but I don’t allow that to weigh me down... Main sochta nahin hoon.

How is pressure best handled?

(Grins) Don’t think about it.

Isn’t that being unrealistic?

Don’t have worries and don’t be fearful... At least, don’t carry any of that to the field... If you do, then you won’t be able to play to potential. Be positive and look to enjoy the moment.

You’re in your 12th year of international cricket. How has this journey, as Sachin Tendulkar would put it, been?

Good... I’ve had my ups and downs... There’s still something to learn everyday, that’s the attitude I have... Obviously, whatever I am today is because of cricket.

What have you learnt?

As a cricketer, I’m still learning... As a person, I’ve learnt to be humble... We get a lot of attention from everybody, but it’s important to have your feet firmly on the ground... I’ve learnt from Sachin, Rahul (Dravid), Anilbhai... For all their achievements, they’re so simple. We don’t need to go around thinking we’re special... I’ve learnt to continue leading a normal life, despite being successful in my field... We should just be remembering that God has been kind... I do, at least... I’m the type jo gharwalon ke kaam aye aur doosron ke bhi kaam aye.

You’ve made mistakes...

I accept that... Early on in my career, I was quite stubborn... Had a lot of josh, which perhaps got misplaced... However, I’ve definitely got better as a person and will try and get even better... I’m the sort who is easy with everyone but, sometimes, I probably need to be careful.

Controversies have been a part of your career. Why?

I’m not bothered about what happened in Australia... People have said and written a lot of things without knowing what happened in the Sydney Test... But, yes, I made a mistake by slapping Sreesanth (in Mohali)... I paid a price, missing many matches. The punishment affected me.

That slap really disappointed fans...

I did disappoint, yes... I’ve tried to make amends by becoming a better person and a better cricketer... Life doesn’t stop with one incident and I hope my well-wishers will recognise what I’ve done since the post-ban comeback and not keep going back to what shouldn’t have happened. I’ve been working very hard, believe me.

What are your feelings towards Andrew Symonds and Matthew Hayden, who described you in an offensive manner?

I don’t have ill feelings... It had got to a point when the nations got involved — India versus Australia outside the field as well.

Symonds’s career is as good as over. Do you feel sorry for him?

No... He’s responsible for his actions... He’s the one getting into trouble with the authorities.

Are you yourself more thanda now?

(Laughs) I’ve tried to be after the Sreesanth affair... Not too long ago, I’d become furious if a catch got dropped off my bowling, not now... I’ve accepted such happenings to be a part of the game. Even I drop catches.

What, for you, is the biggest challenge today?

To stay fit physically and remain fresh in the mind... Cricket, today, is exceedingly competitive and you’ve got to develop new skills to keep one step ahead of the other teams, which keep analysing you.

Purely as an off-spinner, how could you get better?

By adjusting better and more quickly to changing conditions... How many bowlers send down six different deliveries in each over?

You seem to be very involved at nets...

Of course... If I’m bowling to Rahul, I’m looking to improve myself, not help him get better with his batting... He could be the one in front of me, but I’ll be imagining that I’m bowling to X or Y from some other team. I’m very serious about nets... Indeed, I don’t do masti with my cricket... The sport has got me to where I am and I respect that... Cricket is God to me.

What would you have done had you not played for India?

Don’t know... I know nothing besides cricket!

Your India debut was in early 1998. Has the cricket got tougher? Batsmen improvise a lot more and T20 is growing with a rocket-like speed...

Well, T20 won’t encourage many spinners to toss the ball in the air... When I began playing ODIs, it used to be quite different... Batsmen would take singles and build an innings... Today, that has changed and they go for the big hits... Look to smash the bowling... Nowadays, a small error costs a lot more and the small grounds don’t help us spinners... I guess it’s tough for the emerging ones.

So, what would you tell them?

That the game itself doesn’t change, it’s how you think and how you face the challenges... Be it Test cricket or T20, you’ve got to be smart. In my view, if you can do the job in a Test match, then you can do the job anywhere. However, if you’re good enough only for T20, then you can’t do the job in Tests and ODIs... It’s sad that I hardly get to see spinners who can turn the ball on any surface.

Why is that so?

Perhaps because of too much limited overs cricket... ODIs, T20... They’re happy just rolling their arm over... They should, instead, express themselves and bowl the deliveries they can really be good at...

Do you see Test cricket threatened in a big way?

Where I’m concerned, Test cricket is everything... It has that name because it tests everything — skills, mental toughness, physical strength, character... Batsmen, bowlers... Everyone has to pass the test... Where the threatened bit is concerned, it’s for the ICC to sort things out.

Is your approach different in the different forms?

Depends on the match, the conditions, whether we’re bowling first or second... I’ve got to be flexible... The team’s plans, too, have to be flexible. I like to attack, but I won’t when the batsmen are going great guns... At that stage, I’ll have to restrict. So, flexibility is the name of the game. (After a pause) The days of two maidens in a row, in Test cricket, I think have gone.

The final one: Have you set a goal for yourself?

(Grins) To help India win the 2011 World Cup and to do an Anilbhai and finish with 600 Test wickets... Yeh do goal hain, the rest is up to God.