I haven’t been following the Tests very closely. Since I hardly get to spend any time with my family, I’m trying to make up for that. I stay at home most of the time and there are a number of things to take care of. A long break doesn’t come along too often, so it feels nice to relax after playing almost non-stop cricket for over a year.

Some of the off-spinners have been among the wickets in the Ashes so far — Graeme Swann and Nathan Hauritz.

They’re both good bowlers. Swann did well against us. Hauritz is relatively inexperienced at the top level, but he will develop as he plays more.

How does a spinner evolve?

We mature with time. There are many spinners in India who have the talent but bowlers need to innovate. Whether you play one game or a hundred, you need to have something unique in your bowling. It’s a constant learning process. Even today when I meet Anil (Kumble) bhai and (Muttiah) Muralitharan, we talk about how to improve. Nowadays batsmen play different types of strokes, and it makes every game a new challenge.

Ajantha Mendis got dropped for the third Test against Pakistan — exactly a year after he made that sensational debut against India.

When I saw him bowling for the first time, I thought he was unplayable. He had so many ways to get a batsman out. His ball used to land on pitch and cut — I’d never come across such a delivery. You need strength in your fingers to bowl such type of deliveries. Also, he was very consistent in that series. Now, if you notice, that same delivery goes way outside, making it easier for batsmen to pick. That ball was his main weapon, but now it’s easy to read. After that series, we were never scared of facing him.

So he isn’t quite the next Murali?

There is a big difference between the two. Murali has been consistent for the last 17 years. He has already proven himself. You will get bowlers who can win you two or three series, but you won’t easily find a spinner who can be your main weapon for so long. There is no doubt that Mendis has got the talent. He should work on his variations, and he needs to develop a few more deliveries in order to survive at the international level. One can’t be a Kumble, a Murali or a Warne without performing over a longer period of time.

The BCCI is planning to replace SG balls with Kookaburra or Duke in domestic cricket and Tests at home. How is it going to affect the bowlers?

The Kookaburra ball favours the batsmen more. It’s not the best ball to play with, especially in Indian conditions, where there isn’t much swing. It swings only for the initial 10-15 overs, after which it doesn’t respond, no matter how hard you try. Since its seam disappears after a while, it becomes difficult for the bowlers to get reverse swing. For spinners, too, the Kookaburra ball isn’t of much use. The bowler doesn’t have any advantage, and the fielders have to run the entire day. The only people who enjoy it are the batsmen. There is nothing like the SG ball, if we can get better quality. The Duke though comes close.

So you’re against using the Kookaburra ball on Indian pitches?

There isn’t a single wicket in India where a fast bowler can relish bowling for four or five days. At least we spinners get into the mix on the third day, but there is no track for the seamers. On a flat wicket, the Kookaburra balls will offer nothing to the fast bowlers. And when the spinners don’t get wickets and start bowling flat to avoid being hit, people will say we’re not producing spinners any more. The Duke ball is better if we have to change.

In one-dayers, you have new spin partners — Pragyan Ojha, Yusuf Pathan and Ravindra Jadeja. How do you adjust, considering it’s usually an aggressive-restrictive combination in that format?

You need to have a bowler who can keep things tight from the other end. When Anil bhai and I used to play, one of us used to stop the flow of runs while the other attacked. That way we built pressure. It will take some time to do that again because most of the bowlers are inexperienced, but we’ll get there.

Other than Kumble, who have you enjoyed bowling with?

n Amit Mishra has done well of late. Bowling, like batting, is about partnerships. You need to have a good pair, just as we have in the pace department now.

You had a great time with the ball lately. Are you worried the break will affect your rhythm?

No, it’s a blessing that we’ve got this break or things would’ve been tough. Non-stop cricket can lead to fatigue and injuries. This gives us a chance to give some time to our bodies and get ready for the next season.

How will you prepare for the next season? There is a lot of one-day cricket to be played.