He was part of two of India’s greatest ICC victories – the 2007 inaugural T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup – and picked over 400 wickets in Test cricket, but former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh still rues missing out on playing another World Cup tournament, alongside the 2011 World Cup ‘Player of the series’ Yuvraj Singh, the leading wicket-taker of that tournament Zaheer Khan, and openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir.
Recalling his exclusion from the 2015 World Cup team, Harbhajan said that he and all the aforementioned four were fitter than most who were part of the squad. Harbhajan is still looking for an answer from the BCCI for his exclusion from that squad.
“It would have been nice to play another world cup together with all my colleagues like Yuvraj and Virender Sehwag. When I took 400 Test wickets, I was only 31 and in 2011 also, I was 31. At 31, I was doing really well and I was fitter than many who actually were playing the game. After that, things did not go our way. I don’t know what happened and who was behind it but whatever happened it’s gone. There is no point talking about it. But yes would have been nice to play another world cup with Viru, Yuvi and maybe Gautam Gambhir as well. We guys were fit enough to be the part of the 2015 World Cup team which did not happen. That is something which was not in our hands and all I have to say is whatever opportunities we have got, whatever we have done for Indian cricket,” explained Harbhajan while talking to ANI.
“I always want to be grateful for that and love all the opportunities we have got by the BCCI. I am going to be grateful for that and people have said a lot about that 2012, 2013, 2014 period why those guys did not play who won the world cup for India which I do not have the answer. You guys don’t have the answer. I don’t know who can give the answer but you must ask the BCCI. At that time, the BCCI that why these guys did not play together after winning the 2011 World Cup. We were not in our late 30s, we were in our starting 30s. I was 31, Viru was like 31-32, Yuvi was 29-30 and we never got to play another world cup which is quite strange actually.”
Harbhajan has played a key role in many of India’s victories during his illustrious career which includes the 2001 Australia series win where he picked a hat-trick in Kolkata. Yet he picked the 2011 World Cup win as the greatest moment in his career.
“It will be very difficult for me to pick one special moment. Obviously, if it has to be picking one, then nothing like winning the 2011 World Cup at home but yes keeping that in mind how special it was I don’t want to forget what made me that cricketer Harbhajan Singh was that series against Australia where I took 32 wickets and I became the first Indian to take that hat-trick. That series gave me a lot of confidence because that series happened for me and I could perform the way I did and that made me know who I am and because of that I played the 2007 World Cup. Obviously, that was a very special moment not just for us but a very proud moment for all the Indians. Everybody was happy that we won the T20 world cup and winning the 2011 World Cup was a very special one. So, these moments were always special and will always be very close to my heart.” he said.
