Gaji
England's Ravi Bopara insist he was a "more rounded player," as he ready for a Test recall against India.
The 26-year-old Essex all-rounder has been call up as cover for the upset Jonathan Trott, ruled out with a take on injury, for the third Test against India at Edgbaston starting here on Wednesday.
Bopara played the last of his 10 Tests two years ago, managing just one and naught in a crushing innings and 80-run beat by Australia at Headingly that saw the tourist’s level that season's Ashes at 1-1.
Trott was bringing in England's next Test, the series finale at The Oval, where he made a century on debut as the hosts regained the Ashes.
Since then the South Africa born batsman has barely look back, with Trott scoring nearly 2,000 runs in 23 Tests at a hugely inspiring average of 57.79 with six hundreds.
But his injury has given Bopara, who once scored three hundreds in three consecutive Tests against the West Indies before stressed against Australia, the chance to revive his career in the five-day format.
"I think I'm a more rounded player, I know my game a little bit more," Bopara told Sky Sports at Edgbaston on Monday.
"It's amazing what you can be taught in two years about yourself. Just when you think you've got it cracked, you suddenly realize that you haven't and that you've got a lot to learn.
"I've learned a lot over the last pair of years and I'm sure I've got a lot to learn over the next five, with any luck 10, years."
Bopara, also a medium-pace seamer, said there had been moment when he consideration his chance might have come and gone.
"If I was to say there was no self-doubt creep in then I would be lying," he said.
"I think every cricketer has some self-doubt at some stage in their careers - some have it all the way throughout.
"I backed my aptitude, I definitely know more about myself now than I ever have and I'm just looking onward to the challenge," added Bopara, who said he still hoped to have a "good" England career lasting some 10 years.
Even though Trott usually bats number three, Bopara -- if selected from a 13-man squad -- may not come in at first wicket down after Ian Bell made a excellent century in that position during England's thumping 319-run second Test win at Trent Bridge.
Not that Bopara, who earlier this season lost out to Eoin Morgan in the race to be England's number six after Paul Collingwood's Test retirement, was concerned about where he batted.
"Whether I bat at three, four, five or six my job is at a standstill to go and get runs for England," he said.
England, already 2-0 up in the four-match series after enormous victories at both Lord's and Trent Bridge, will replace India at the top of the ICC's Test Championship table if they win at Edgbaston.
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