Calcutta: From being left out of the playing XI for the opening Test of the ongoing series against Sri Lanka to returning to the team and scoring a fine century, Murali Vijay is back with a bang.

Vijay had to sit out the Eden Test as Shikhar Dhawan and Lokesh Rahul were the preferred openers. This is the Tamil Nadu batsman's comeback series after being out for sometime with a wrist injury. In fact, Vijay's last Test was eight months back, against Australia, in Dharamsala.

India dominated the second day of the second Test, in Nagpur, and Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara struck hundreds to take the team score to 312 for two at the close of play. That was in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings score of 205.

Vijay was obviously a satisfied man having scored a fine 128 off 221 balls. At the media conference at the end of Day II's play, Vijay was asked if he was happy with his performance. "Definitely, any day I will take this," Vijay said.

"Obviously, we are in a strong position at the end of the day and I wanted to always contribute for the team and I am happy."

Dhawan's unavailability due to personal commitments made the way for Vijay's inclusion in the playing XI. Vijay says that as a professional, one has to be ready to perform whenever a chance comes.

"I feel as a professional, you should always be ready whether you get a chance or not. You should be ready from inside, waiting to get a chance. So, whenever you get a chance, you are not lacking on that aspect.

"You can be fully aware of what's happening and what's going to happen. It is difficult and I am used to it by now. I just wanted to contribute whenever I get an opportunity to play for India," Vijay said.

Asked if he was worried with the prospect of continuous competition with Dhawan and Rahul, Vijay said that he only focuses on being in his own space.

"I really don't have to deal (with being left out) as long as I am happy and comfortable in my space, that's all I wanted to be and if I am able to achieve that on a consistent basis, I think I am doing a good job," Vijay said.

Stressing on the significance of getting a chance to play for the Indian team, Vijay said: "Playing for India is difficult and whoever gets a chance, I wish them luck. I know how difficult it is to be in that space and perform, whoever gets a chance should perform. That's all I can pass onto them."

Vijay was looking good for an even bigger score on Saturday when he was dismissed by Rangana Herath. But he is not losing sleep over a missed opportunity.

"I am trying to get a bigger score and obviously it would come one day," he said. "I am waiting for that. I was mentally and physically fit today and it should have happened in this match... But maybe in the next... I felt fantastic and hopefully I can build on from here."

On his 209-run partnership with Pujara, Vijay said: "I like batting, so it does not matter who bats at the other end. Pujara also has a similar mindset as he likes to dig in deep and scrap it out in situations of varied demands.

"So, hopefully, we can continue to do it for India in the future as well."

Vijay also lauded the Indian spinners for their performance on the opening day of the Test. "Actually, we bowled well on a first-day wicket. The Sri Lankan spinners are entirely different from our bowlers, they were on the slower side, and I thought wicket was on slower side as well. So it was suiting their style of bowling. So, hopefully we can play a couple sessions on Sunday and put pressure on them."

After the engagements against Sri Lanka, India will travel to South Africa, for what could be a very challenging tour. But Vijay is not ready to think too far ahead.

"I am a person who doesn't like to over-think too much till I see that particular ground and that venue. I don't want to have pre-conceived ideas, plans... I like to take it as it comes....

"The bounce is obviously something we need to be careful about, we have got one week to handle that... We are working on it. I have few things to work on and I am at it.

"It's an opportunity for us to experience new conditions, and we are playing good as a unit and hopefully we can win the series, which is more important than personal glory. Hopefully, we can all put a price on our wickets, put up that 400-plus score, so that our bowlers get a chance to get them out twice."