Hum bhi honge team mein

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">Dinesh Mongia is a changed man. With flashy streaks in his hair and the diamond stud glittering in his ear, he astonishes in his new avatar. Despite a high fashion quotient, the cricketer admits to being an introvert. "I like to hang out and chill at home with a few of my close friends or family rather than hit the party circuit," he avers.With hardly any spare time between all the domestic cricket he''s been playing, he thinks and breathes cricket. <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Chandigarh Times</span> catches up with the left-handed batsmen on a sunny Thursday before he sets off for Chennai.<br /><br />"How the team is playing is not my concern right now. I''m concentrating on my game, to get back into the team," he states. A series of consistent displays at the English county Lancashire and recently at Bangalore, ''Rest of India'' captain Dinesh Mongia has proved that he''s in top form and raring to go. Despite the disappointment of not being chosen to play in the Test matches this season, he is steadily working towards gaining a foothold in the international cricket circuit. Excerpts from the conversation...<br />Just the same... or is it? Cricket is the same everywhere, afterall you''re still playing with the bat and ball. But yes, international cricket brings you more fame and popularity. Domestic cricket is not that widely followed. <br /><br />Missing international cricket... I do, a lot. And eventhough I didn''t do too badly in the world cup last year, the board must have had their reasons for taking me out. It hurt then and it still does when I was passed up to play in the test matches. But that just pushes me to do my best. Nine more Test matches are going to be played in the next four months. I''m sure I will get a chance.<br /><br />Getting back to the team... It''s been 16 months since I played international cricket. I''ve been working very hard all this while to play the best domestic cricket that I possibly can. Being the captain isn''t easy, I have to see what the rest of my team needs. But my training carries on, for I want to prove that I''m still in good shape. <br /><br />Domestic cricket is coming up... It''s heartening to be in domestic cricket right now. The BCCI and even Punjab Cricket Association have started giving a lot of importance to the domestic game. Developing cricket at the grass-root level is ensuring that we have a good base in the sport. <br /><br />Good balance is the key... I don''t think I''m in any position to comment on our team''s performance. I just know that they have an excellent balance of experienced, senior players and the fresh younger talent. That''s what makes a good team. I know that I still have it me to contribute a lot to the game.<br /><br />The hope in his voice rings through loud and clear. Along with the confidence. "No one is a hundred percent complete cricketer. Every sportsperson is working his way there. So am I," he avers. In the interim, he wouldn''t mind giving modelling or acting a shot!<br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">nikita.singh@timesgroup.com</span></div> </div>