The secret of Lakshmipathy Balaji's ever-smiling face lies in the doctor's scalpel!

The bowler, whose ever-smiling countenance won huge fan-following in Pakistan, has revealed that a surgery on his jaw gives the impression that he is forever smiling.

"I had jaw surgery when I was very young," said the affable Tamil Nadu bowler in BBC's 'Face to Face' programme, to be telecast on Saturday.

Balaji also recalled how fans in Pakistan sang a song on him --- Balaji zara dheere chalo  -- evoking laughter from team mates in the midst of the one-day match in Rawalpindi.

"From the crowds they were shouting that song. It was quite nice to hear the song, everyone started looking at me -- my team mates and all, they all started laughing."

And Balaji, who had a remarkable tour of Australia and Pakistan, admits that his popularity has seeped into his own homeland where girls make phone calls, write letters and press for his autograph.

But the lanky seamer admitted that despite his past performance, adulation and popularity, his place in the national team is not secure.

"There is too much competition in this game. You have to work hard, you have to prove your worth in the team."

He still finds it hard to accept his transition from the "naughty boy" to the "star of the neighbourhood" but is enjoying it all after being in the wilderness in the early part of his career.

Balaji, who took 12 wickets in the three-Test series in Pakistan, which India won 2-1, has preserved the bat which broke into two after he hit fearsome fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar for a six in the one-day series.

But the importance of that memorabilia goes far beyond that six for Balaji as batting genius Sachin Tendulkar and coach John Wright scribbled messages for the bowler on that broken willow.

"Tendulkar mentions about my batting -- 'your strokes are awesome'. Wright wrote: 'for Balaji, the Black Bradman'."

Asked to comment on a former player's remark that he is the next Kapil Dev, Balaji said, "He [Kapil] achieved his target after working it out for 20 years. Let's see, I am working on my fitness and other things."

Balaji is disappointed that he has so far missed out on a five-wicket haul although he came close twice -- once each in Australia and Pakistan.

"My dream was to get a five-wicket haul on Pakistan soil, and I somehow managed to get four wickets. I almost got through but somehow I missed that thing."