The name in Indian cricket that mesmerized the world's top batsmen with his spin — Harbhajan Singh. Born on July 3, 1980, in Jalandhar, Punjab, Harbhajan Singh is celebrating his 45th birthday today. He was known as the "Turbanator" on the cricket field because he attacked batsmen like lightning and often turned the tide of the match.
Harbhajan Singh made his debut in the Indian team in 1998 and then mesmerized cricket lovers with his bowling for 23 years. Whether it was Tests, ODIs, or T20s — Harbhajan led Team India to many historic victories in every format.
The feat of the first hat-trick in Test cricket for India
The most golden moment of Harbhajan Singh's career came in 2001, when the Test match played between India and Australia at the historic Eden Gardens in Kolkata became a historic story. In this match, Harbhajan Singh took a hat-trick by dismissing Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, and Shane Warne off consecutive balls, completing the first hat-trick in Test cricket for India. This moment became immortal in Indian cricket history.
Not only a hat-trick, but in that series, Harbhajan took 32 wickets and made a significant contribution to India's 2-1 series win. This performance made him a star overnight and also the leader of Indian spin bowling.
The biggest partnership record for the 7th wicket in IPL so far
Harbhajan Singh's identity was not limited to bowling alone. He also lifted the team with his bat on many occasions in the IPL. Playing for Mumbai Indians against Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2015, Harbhajan Singh, along with J Suchith, made a partnership of 100 runs for the 7th wicket. This partnership is still considered the biggest partnership for the 7th wicket in the history of the IPL. Harbhajan scored 64 runs in that innings, although Mumbai Indians could not win, but his fighting innings won the hearts of every cricket lover.
Harbhajan's international career
Harbhajan Singh played 103 Test matches for India, in which he took 417 wickets. His average was 32.46 and he took 5 wickets in an innings 25 times. In batting too, Bhajji was not behind — 2224 runs in Tests, including 2 centuries and 9 half-centuries. In ODI cricket, Harbhajan took 269 wickets in 236 matches and scored 1237 runs. In T20 Internationals, he took 25 wickets in 28 matches.
In the IPL too, Harbhajan proved his utility by taking 150 wickets in 163 matches. Scoring 833 runs, he showed that he could play the role of an all-rounder for the team in difficult situations.
Was a part of two World Cup winning teams
Talking about Harbhajan Singh's achievements, he was also an integral part of the 2007 T20 World Cup-winning team and the 2011 ODI World Cup-winning team. In 2011, his spin helped India win many important matches and, along with senior players like Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan, he contributed to the team winning the World Cup after 28 years.
Harbhajan Singh's cricketing journey teaches today's youth that anything is possible with passion and hard work. His passion, aggression, and b presence on the field in difficult times will always be remembered. Even though Harbhajan has retired from international cricket today, he remains connected with fans through commentary and social media and gives his frank opinions in the world of cricket.
Many congratulations to Harbhajan Singh on his 45th birthday from crores of Indian cricket lovers. His journey will always inspire future generations.
