Harbhajan Singh Profile

Harbhajan Singh Profile

A player of passion, with talent to match, Harbhajan Singh is India's most successful offspin bowler. Purists might mutter about a lack of loop and flight, but he is very much a product of his times where short boundaries, heavy bats and shorter forms afford little latitude to slow bowlers. Bowling with a windmilling, whiplash action, remodelled after he was reported for throwing, he deals by varying his length and his pace, and can turn it the other way too. His deadliest ball, however, is the one that climbs wickedly from a length, forcing a hurried jab. 

In March 2001, it proved too much for the all-conquering Australians, as Harbhajan collected 32 wickets in three Tests, including the first Test hat-trick by an Indian, while none of his team-mates managed more than three. His personal rivalry against the Australians has provided him both the highest and the lowest points of his career. Invariably, he has managed to raise his game against them, and been singularly responsible for Ricky Ponting's low scores on Indian soil - he dismissed him five times under 12 in the 2001 series - and some his punchiest batting performances has come against them too. But in 2008 his confrontation with Andrew Symmonds created one of the ugliest controversies in cricket - he was initially charged with racial insult which was reduced to abuse on appeal.

Later that year, he was banned for whole IPL season for slapping Sressanth, his Indian team-mate. But when he channels his natural combativeness in the right direction, he can be a fiercely competitive and dangerous opponent. He remains, after the retirement of Anil Kumble, India's lead spinner in the all three forms of the game.

Full name Harbhajan Singh

Born July 3, 1980, Jullundur (now Jalandhar), Punjab

Current age 30 years 141 days

Major teams India, Asia XI, Lancashire, Mumbai Indians, Surrey

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm offbreak Harbhajan Singh

Batting and fielding averages

    Mat     Inns     NO     Runs     HS     Ave     BF     SR     100     50     4s     6s     Ct     St
Tests     89     123     21     1896     115     18.58     2890     65.60     2     8     239     34     41     0
ODIs     212     112     30     1083     49     13.20     1319     82.10     0     0     86     29     60     0
T20Is     22     9     2     84     21     12.00     75     112.00     0     0     9     3     6     0
First-class     153     204     38     3304     115     19.90             2     12             74     0
List A     262     143     39     1425     49     13.70             0     0             79     0
Twenty20     70     39     12     405     49*     15.00     282     143.61     0     0     36     21     20     0

Bowling averages

    Mat     Inns     Balls     Runs     Wkts     BBI     BBM     Ave     Econ     SR     4w     5w     10
Tests     89     163     25443     11959     374     8/84     15/217     31.97     2.82     68.0     14     24     5
ODIs     212     203     11075     7949     242     5/31     5/31     32.84     4.30     45.7     2     3     0
T20Is     22     21     480     516     16     3/30     3/30     32.25     6.45     30.0     0     0     0
First-class     153         39382     18480     651     8/84         28.38     2.81     60.4         38     7
List A     262         13567     9661     310     5/31     5/31     31.16     4.27     43.7     4     3     0
Twenty20     70     67     1446     1592     61     4/17     4/17     26.09     6.60     23.7     1     0     0

Career statistics

Test debut     India v Australia at Bangalore, Mar 25-28, 1998
Last Test     India v New Zealand at Hyderabad (Deccan), Nov 12-16, 2010

ODI debut     India v New Zealand at Sharjah, Apr 17, 1998
Last ODI     Sri Lanka v India at Dambulla, Jun 24, 2010

T20I debut     South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006
Last T20I     India v Sri Lanka at Gros Islet, May 11, 2010

First-class debut     1997/98
Last First-class     India v New Zealand at Hyderabad (Deccan), Nov 12-16, 2010
List A debut     1997/98
Last List A     Sri Lanka v India at Dambulla, Jun 24, 2010
Twenty20 debut     Kent v Surrey at Beckenham, Jun 22, 2005
Last Twenty20     Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bangalore at Durban, Sep 19, 2010