Harbhajan Singh: Always game for a fight
Harbhajan Singh's impact lies in his combativeness. Feisty by nature and stubborn of will, he wears his heart on his sleeve, approaching his cricket with an intensity of emotion which unnerves the opponent. This belligerent style often enhances his considerable finger-spinning skills and lends him a compelling presence in pressure situations.
This is why India cannot do without Harbhajan - never mind if he isn't flighting the ball at times or going through a fruitless spell. His fierce desire to prevail in a dogfight means he will, more often than not, find a way to contribute. That makes him, in spite of some unsavoury controversies, the perfect team man to have when the chips are down.
There's something of Javed Miandad's street-smartness in him, and a bit of Sourav Ganguly's bold, audacious streak too. From Kumble he learnt industriousness and the value of persistence. From Tendulkar, he picked up the art of fashioning the indomitable spirit. In many ways, Harbhajan is representative of the shrewdly resourceful modern Indian cricketer, a hardened competitor who can rail at opponents and swing between the rash and the refined in his quest to prevail. No wonder Bhajji took on the Aussies.
Often, this cheeky streak can wreak havoc, like in the Sreesanth or Symonds episode. At other times, Harbhajan's honesty of approach is heart-warming, like during the inaugural World T20 when he disliked firing in yorkers and said he was doing "chor bowling".
Sometimes when there are no early wickets, the pitch is unresponsive or the batsman has seen through his guiles, the spirit can wilt and frustration can set in. This is what Harbhajan must guard against. He has shown he can fight back time and again, even surviving a remodelled action and loss of faith. That's Harbhajan for you. Throw him a dare and it's an offer he can't refuse.
If Bhajji has a good World Cup, India will too.
Harbhajan Singh's impact lies in his combativeness. Feisty by nature and stubborn of will, he wears his heart on his sleeve, approaching his cricket with an intensity of emotion which unnerves the opponent. This belligerent style often enhances his considerable finger-spinning skills and lends him a compelling presence in pressure situations.
This is why India cannot do without Harbhajan - never mind if he isn't flighting the ball at times or going through a fruitless spell. His fierce desire to prevail in a dogfight means he will, more often than not, find a way to contribute. That makes him, in spite of some unsavoury controversies, the perfect team man to have when the chips are down.
There's something of Javed Miandad's street-smartness in him, and a bit of Sourav Ganguly's bold, audacious streak too. From Kumble he learnt industriousness and the value of persistence. From Tendulkar, he picked up the art of fashioning the indomitable spirit. In many ways, Harbhajan is representative of the shrewdly resourceful modern Indian cricketer, a hardened competitor who can rail at opponents and swing between the rash and the refined in his quest to prevail. No wonder Bhajji took on the Aussies.
Often, this cheeky streak can wreak havoc, like in the Sreesanth or Symonds episode. At other times, Harbhajan's honesty of approach is heart-warming, like during the inaugural World T20 when he disliked firing in yorkers and said he was doing "chor bowling".
Sometimes when there are no early wickets, the pitch is unresponsive or the batsman has seen through his guiles, the spirit can wilt and frustration can set in. This is what Harbhajan must guard against. He has shown he can fight back time and again, even surviving a remodelled action and loss of faith. That's Harbhajan for you. Throw him a dare and it's an offer he can't refuse.
If Bhajji has a good World Cup, India will too.
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