'Rhythm more important than wickets' - Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh speaks to Wisden Cricinfo about his recent form, and the intriguing match-up against Australian batsmen who appear geared to take him on from the first ball he bowls
Dileep Premachandran at the Adelaide Oval
10-Dec-2003
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Harbhajan - 'Anyone can have a bad game' © Getty Images |
Harbhajan Singh warmed up with the rest of his team-mates in glorious Adelaide sunshine, troubled only by the persistent flies which hovered around each time he tried to take a sip of an energy drink between breaks in training.
He bowled his offspin with a high trajectory - something that has been absent in recent times - and also found some time for a little batting practice, including a couple of shots slugged with Sachin Tendulkar's meaty MRF blade. After the session, and a few minutes spent obliging a couple of dozen patient autograph-seekers, he talked to Wisden Cricinfo about his recent form, and the intriguing match-up against Australian batsmen who appear geared to take him on from the first ball he bowls:
How would you assess your recent bowling form?
Recently, I have bowled well. You can't make a judgment based on one match. Even a top batsman can be out for zero in one game.
Recently, I have bowled well. You can't make a judgment based on one match. Even a top batsman can be out for zero in one game.
Is there any pressure on you, with only one spinner likely to play in the Test matches, except perhaps in Sydney? Anil Kumble isn't too thrilled about missing out, and the team for this Test has yet to be chosen ...
There's no additional pressure because of that. Whatever the team management decides, you have to go with that. If I'm the one chosen, all I can do is try and justify their faith.
There's no additional pressure because of that. Whatever the team management decides, you have to go with that. If I'm the one chosen, all I can do is try and justify their faith.
Is the finger still troubling you?
The finger isn't 100%, I can't lie about that. But I badly wanted to come here and play at these great venues. It hasn't affected the way I bowl. If I was not capable of giving my best, I wouldn't try to play.
After the Gabba Test, Sourav Ganguly said that the Harbhajan Singh we all know can bowl much better than that. How did that make you feel?
I have no problems with that. Like I said earlier, anyone can have a bad game. I wasn't able to find any rhythm. When you're the team's only spinner, and also one of the front-line bowlers, the expectations are very high. I agree that I didn't perform to those expected levels at the Gabba.
I have no problems with that. Like I said earlier, anyone can have a bad game. I wasn't able to find any rhythm. When you're the team's only spinner, and also one of the front-line bowlers, the expectations are very high. I agree that I didn't perform to those expected levels at the Gabba.
What about the New Zealand series? There too, you didn't enjoy too much success ...
I was bowling well. Taking wickets is not always as important as bowling well. If you're striking the right rhythm, you can take wickets any time. You can bowl badly and fluke a five-wicket haul once or twice, but if you bowl well, the wickets will come continuously.
I was bowling well. Taking wickets is not always as important as bowling well. If you're striking the right rhythm, you can take wickets any time. You can bowl badly and fluke a five-wicket haul once or twice, but if you bowl well, the wickets will come continuously.
The Aussie approach so far has been to take you on as soon as you come on to bowl. How are you dealing with that?
They have their game-plan, we have ours. If they attack and lose two quick wickets, it's a different ball game. Take the missed stumping when Steve Waugh was batting in Brisbane [on the final day]. Those things happen in cricket, but if the chance had been taken, I might have gone on to pick up more wickets and put them under pressure.
They have their game-plan, we have ours. If they attack and lose two quick wickets, it's a different ball game. Take the missed stumping when Steve Waugh was batting in Brisbane [on the final day]. Those things happen in cricket, but if the chance had been taken, I might have gone on to pick up more wickets and put them under pressure.
You must enjoy the fact that they take you on, given that you like to attack the batsman?
Each time they take a chance, it's a wicket-taking opportunity for me, so I don't mind.
Each time they take a chance, it's a wicket-taking opportunity for me, so I don't mind.
Has anyone given you advice on how to bowl on Australian pitches?
I have talked to some senior players, including Shane Warne. The wickets here are very different from India, and I've been asking them how to adapt my bowling to these conditions. This tour is a great learning experience.
I have talked to some senior players, including Shane Warne. The wickets here are very different from India, and I've been asking them how to adapt my bowling to these conditions. This tour is a great learning experience.
Harbhajan Singh was talking to Dileep Premachandran at the Adelaide Oval.