Amidst fading light, Glenn McGrath pounded in. A Test series was on a knife’s edge. The M.A. Chidambaram Stadium was a cauldron.
A sea of spectators held their breath as Harbhajan Singh settled in his stance. The pressure was at tipping point. The decisive moment was around the corner.
McGrath released a fuller length ball, Harbhajan sliced him past point and the crowd erupted. India had nailed a cliff-hanger by two wickets. A remarkable series against Steve Waugh’s gallant men had been won 2-1.
Although his final act was with the bat, Harbhajan had claimed a remarkable 32 wickets in the three Tests with his off-spin. He scalped batsmen in a hurry, turned matches on their heads. That was a long time ago.
At Chepauk against the South Africans on Thursday, Harbhajan gave glimpses of his old self. One saw flight, turn and bounce from the old warrior.
He is not the same bowler he was in 2001, but you have to admire the fight in the man. Harbhajan’s still at it, still producing deliveries that defeats the batsmen. At 35, he’s still got the hunger.
Mellowed downHarbhajan also appears at peace with himself. In an international career that began in 1998, he has seen it all — the heady ups and the demoralising downs. He has mellowed down without quite losing that combative instinct.
His action came under the scanner for delivering the doosra but he found his way back to the bright, bold lights of international cricket. He got into scraps down under, bowled India to a Test series triumph in the West Indies and a series levelling one in South Africa. And he played his part in India’s victorious ICC ODI World Cup campaign in 2011. Gradually, he lost his place.
OvershadowedSomeone with 417 wickets in 103 Tests and 268 scalps in 235 ODIs, he has been overshadowed in recent years by R. Ashwin. This hasn’t stopped Harbhajan from taking the few chances that have come his way.
His has been a journey of skill and heart. His partnership with leg-spinning giant Anil Kumble was a potent one of contrasts. The duo destroyed famous line-ups.
Former India coach John Wright said to this writer once, “It’s hard to keep Harbhajan down. He wants to perform so badly.”
In the last few years, he has been prominent for Mumbai Indians in Twenty20 duels. But then, Harbhajan still relishes the sniff of an international duel.
