The Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh who last played for India in 2016 propose his interest to play T20 cricket for India. The 39 year old believes that he is fit and still ready to play for the country.
The “Turbanator” was also a part of team when India won the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup. He has not been in the Indian team since 2016 but continue to executes his skills in IPL.
Harbhajan Singh hasn’t lose hope and spells out his eagerness to play in blue jersey.
“I am ready. If I can bowl well in IPL, which is a very difficult tournament for bowlers because the grounds are smaller, and all the top players in world cricket play in the IPL,” ESPNCricinfo quoted Harbhajan as saying.
In his 12 years IPL carrier Harbhajan lifted the trophy for three times with Mumbai Indians and one time with Chennai Super Kings.
Harbhajan Singh made his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) while playing for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the inaugural season. In the 160 matches he has played so far, Singh has scalped 150 wickets, conceding 7.05 runs per over. His best bowling figures are 5 for 18.
Check out : Harbhajan Singh’s stats in 12 years IPL in two different teams.
In the batting department, he has scored a total of 829 runs at a strike rate of 137.22, and his highest individual score is 64. Harbhajan Singh was an integral part of Mumbai Indians until IPL 2017. However, in the IPL 2018 auction, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bagged him at a base price of Rs 2 crore.
However, the bowler said that the selectors did not have a look at him because they think he is too old.
“They will not look at me because they feel I am too old,” he said. “Also I don’t play any domestic cricket. [In the] Last four-five years they did not look at me even though I was doing well in the IPL, taking wickets and I had all my records to back my case.
“It is very challenging to bowl against them and if you can do well against them in IPL, you can do well in international cricket. I have bowled predominantly in the powerplay and middle overs and got wickets,” he added.
He believes that the IPL is the most difficult competition when it comes to T20 cricket and said that after performing in this tournament, he can make a comeback into the Indian side.
“In international cricket, not all teams have quality players like IPL teams, where every team has a top-six which is good. Yes, Australia, England, India have all got very good batting line-ups,” Harbhajan said.
“But if I can get Johnny Bairstow and David Warner in IPL, don’t you think I can get them in international cricket? But it is not in my hands. No one comes and talks to you in this present Indian set-up,” he added.
When it comes to the Indian side, Harbhajan still continues to be India’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. He has taken 417 wickets in 103 Tests and was also the first Indian bowler to claim a Test hat-trick – a feat he achieved against Australia in 2001.
In ODIs, the spinner has taken 269 wickets in 236 matches, and in T20Is, he has 25 wickets to his name in 28 appearances.
