It's a myth we can't play bounce

For the first time in my career I'm going to miss an international game with an injury. I've played 67 Tests, so it's not a bad run. I'm very upset that I tore my hamstring in Adelaide, as I've been looking forward to this series for some time, and I don't think we'll be back in Australia for a while.

On Thursday I'll be very upset and a bit jealous to see everyone on the field. It's the 50th Test at the Gabba, Muttiah Muralitharan is chasing the record, and the whole team is looking to win a Test in Australia for the first time - there's so much to enjoy. I know I'm still a part of it - I'll be running drinks, watching the guys play, and hoping everything goes to plan - and it's great to be able to stay back and be part of the team.

The average recovery time for this type of injury is three weeks and the team management could have said, "It's touch and go, go home." I'm really grateful I was allowed to stay and witness the guys taking on Australia.

The chances look pretty good that I'll get back for the second Test in Hobart next week if I do my rehab right. I started out working out thrice a day, and now I'm back to twice. Our physio, Tommy Simsek, has been great. I have to be careful not to rush back because a hamstring can re-tear easily and that could have me out for a while.

I don't think my not playing will be a great issue because we have a lot of quality players. And the way Prasanna Jayawardene has been going, I don't think there's going to be much difference. He's been one of the best batsmen of the tour and looked very good against Queensland on a surface where the ball was moving around. He batted really well at No. 7, so No. 6 or 7 should be the place for him to express himself.

There's been a bit of talk about people from the subcontinent not being able to play on bouncy tracks. That's a myth. We've had such a good pace attack over the past two years, and our guys have learned to deal with it. The question is how to deal with it consistently over a long period of time, but it's something the guys will work out.

The whole idea on a bouncy track is to stay right behind the ball and get on top of it. You have to be decisive, whether going back or forward, and take it from there. You've got to be even more basic when it's a bouncy track. Be positive, not just about hitting the ball but leaving it, and making sure you do that consistently through the day.

Another good thing about having such a strong pace attack is that Murali will have a lot of support. He comes on early when he's bowling at home, but I think that's going to change here. We've got the strength, with our pace bowlers, to get their batters out with the new ball and even the old ball. Murali loves the other guys getting wickets because it makes things a lot easier for him, as he can bowl in partnerships.

We've had a history of good competition with Australia and Sri Lankans have a lot of respect for Australians, who are very upfront about the game. We know they play hard, and that's the way we want to play the game.

We see a bit of each other when we compete. So far I've talked to Stuart MacGill, who I get on well with, and I've been out for dinner with Andrew Symonds and Murali. That was nice. They're a great bunch of guys, the easiest guys in the world to play hard on the field against and then go and have a drink with.

There are always a few things said here and there, just to get a reaction. Unless something really sensitive happens, I don't think anything should come off the field. Everyone has a dig at some point, but it's always in the right spirit. If it's tough out there, that's what really lifts your game. The key thing is to absorb whatever pressures there are: verbal, psychological or just with ball or bat.

You have pressure applied on you because they recognise you as a player of importance and you rise to the challenge: it's a contest. Then you walk off the field into the dressing room, then next door for a drink. Fingers crossed I'll be able to do that in Hobart.