harbhajan profile

Harbhajan Singh

Batting style:

 

Right Handed bat

Bowling style:

 

Off break

Played for:

 

India Under-19, India, Asia XI, Mumbai Indians

Bowler

ICC Rank:

• Test
• ODI

Batting:

79

Bowling:

8

India

Born:

 

July 03, 1980, Jalandhar, Punjab

Profile

Young Harbhajan Singh bolstered his credentials after a successful home series against Steve Waugh's invincible Australia in 2001. Replacing an injured Anil Kumble, 'Bhajji' was crowned 'Man of the Series' in performances that stopped the Kangaroos' record unbeaten run.

Prior to his ascendancy during that series, Harbhajan made a full international debut as a teenager in 1998. After a year in action, few noteworthy displays coupled with a suspect bowling action is all that emerged and he was eventually relegated to domestic cricket. His return after a two year hiatus was one filled with renewed determination and epitomizing captain Sourav Ganguly's fearlessness. Following his stand-out performance against Australia, he forced selectors to rethink India's bowling line-up by opting for a two-pronged spin attack in tandem with Anil Kumble. Rarely did his bowling fail to yield satisfactory results, often being the source of bulk wickets for India. He added further repute as a player with his pinch-hitting abilities as a tail-ender. Harbhajan continued to haunt Australia on their return tour to India with another 10-wicket haul at Bangalore in 2004, in a series which India eventually lost. He did face criticism from various circles for being too defensive, a flaw rectified by honing the skill to flight deliveries. Due to his short temper, controversies followed him. One such incident with Andrew Symonds gave rise to a misconstrued racism row. A run-in with Sreesanth in the first IPL season also saw Bhajji banned for the rest of the tournament. On the pitch, he was part of both India's failure in the 2007 World Cup and later its success in the ICC World Twenty20.

Following spin ally Kumble's retirement from international cricket, the spin mantle was cast on 'The Turbanator' (nickname), especially in series abroad where India usually played with a single spinner. He stuck to his task in India's series victory in New Zealand in 2009, the country's first such win against the Kiwis in 40 years. In November 2010, he scaled an unprecedented summit in his batting career when he scored his maiden Test century against New Zealand, helping India to save a match that was slipping ominously out of its grip.

The transition from one spin legend in Kumble to a potential one in Harbhajan is credit in part to the selectors for having an eye on sustenance. But it is Harbhajan's willingness to improve and his never-say-die spirit that makes him a player whom fans love to praise and the opposition loves to despise.

Fast Facts

• Harbhajan Singh is currently the most successful off-spinner in Tests.
• In ODIs, he became India’s second most successful spinner after Anil Kumble.
• Harbhajan became the first Indian to take a hat-trick in Test cricket.
• His bowling figures of 15/217 in Tests against Australia became the second best for an Indian behind Narendra Hirwani's 16/136.
• He became only the 10th player in cricket history to take 350 wickets and score a century in Tests.
• Harbhajan made history as the first No.8 batsman to score successive centuries, a feat which he achieved during New Zealand's 2010 tour of India.