espnstar.com’s Rajarshi Gupta spoke exclusively to SL spinner Rangana Herath, who is beginning to cement his place in the team.

Herath, who made it to the playing XI of the opening Test against India ahead of the more hyped Ajantha Mendis, said he always knew he had a part to play.

"I have a huge role in the team. I played against Pakistan and New Zealand (at home earlier in the year) and did well.

I also know I can give my best to any situation for the team."

Given that he was always confident of playing despite Mendis' presence in the squad speaks volumes about his belief. Herath was called upon to do a job against the visiting Pakistanis and he had delivered.

Being a spinner, no matter how good he is, has never been easy. Shane Warne knew all about it from the ghosts of the 1998 tour.

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However, Herath looks calm ahead of what could well be a storm against some of the best players of spin in the world.

"I know India have some great players in their ranks but I am not too worried. We have plans for all of them and there is no specific concern for any one batsman in particular."

Skipper Kumar Sangakkara, as is well known, is a big believer in Herath's abilities with the ball. Tell that to the 31-year-old and he blushes.

"Well, that's very important for me (to hear the captain's praise). In fact, I have picked up a lot from some of my senior team-mates.

I have been around for a decade now and learnt a lot from Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan) and Sanath Jayasuriya.

Jayasuriya shared a lot of his experiences on how to bowl to Indian batsmen. I never played a Test match (before the Ahmedabad Test) in India before and I want to ensure I do well."

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Herath has also had his moments with the venerable Daniel Vettori, who is considered to be the best left-arm spinner in the country.

"I loved speaking to Vettori. He is a fine gentleman but I still maintain I picked a lot from Murali."

The soft spoken left arm spinner may have refreshed public memory with a scintillating show with the ball against Pakistan in a Test series at home but he had announced his arrival in international cricket a decade before.

Herath had wrecked the Australian batting line up, snapping up four wickets (Muttiah Muralitharan has taken a fifer) and stunned the world with a mystery ball that spun a web around the Aussies.

Here is his chance again. At 31, the Wayamba bowler still has time on his side and with Murali as a bowling partner, India's famed batting line-up needs to tread cautiously.

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