Latest news with #Harbhajan
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Yuvraj Singh's 'unforgiving' take after India surrender to England despite 5 centuries; Harbhajan demands urgent change
How India went from 430/3 in the first innings and 287/3 in the second to losing a Test match is beyond comprehension. This team had five individual centuries across innings – two from Rishabh Pant alone – scored almost 800 runs, and still lost the game. Unbelievable. While the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy more than lived up to the hype, with both teams fighting tooth and nail to lay down a brilliant advert for Test cricket, India would rue their abysmal fielding, including six-plus dropped catches, which led to a five-wicket drubbing. In short, India snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, and there isn't much they can do about it other than ponder over the same and think of ways to bounce back. Yuvraj Singh, left and Harbhajan Singh, right, reacted to India's loss under Shubman Gill, centre.(PTI/AP/Harbhajan insta) Given the nature of the defeat, there is no shortage of reactions, with some renowned former Indian cricketers leading the way. Most prominent was Yuvraj Singh, who reminded this young team led by Shubman Gill that the defeat may hurt but it isn't the end of the road, with four Test matches still to go. Yuvraj acknowledged the grind of Test cricket, praising both teams for keeping it going almost until the very end. Despite the loss, Yuvraj was impressed by what he saw of the Indian team, urging them to hit the ground running even harder. Also Read: Gill lacked Kohli-like aura. Shastri kept saying...: Nasser Hussain flags 'Jadeja' blunder as 'Hardik' talk returns "Test cricket at its finest - intense, challenging and unforgiving. Five days of a high-quality game and a result that could've gone either way! Our young team showed fight and belief, the kind that wins you games in the long run. Fell short, but far from done! The series is still alive," he posted on X. Harbhajan wants an immediate change in India's Playing XI Meanwhile, Yuvraj's former India and Punjab teammate Harbhajan Singh reckons India need to shake things up a little bit to stage a comeback. India has a good seven-day break before the 2nd Test begins at Edgbaston in Birmingham, but the ex-India spinner believes the team management needs to figure out a way to bring Kuldeep Yadav into the mix. With Ravindra Jadeja getting plenty of purchase from the rough and pacers pretty much proving ineffective, India probably felt the absence of a second spinner. Who Kuldeep replaces, though, makes for an interesting call, believes Harbhajan. Also Read: Gautam Gambhir's firm verdict on Jasprit Bumrah plan after Sunil Gavaskar's special plea amid glaring cracks in Leeds "The pressure is now on India because when you trail 0-1, you need to learn and move ahead. I feel Kuldeep Yadav should get a game in the next game. If he comes into the XI, India will have more wicket-taking options. Now who does he replace? Shardul Thakur? I had said that he needs to bowl more but he was brought into the attack when England needed some 100-120 runs. He deserves a proper opportunity. If you consider him a batter who can bowl a bit, that's incorrect. He's a bowler who can bat a bit," said Harbhajan on his YouTube channel. "This improvement must be made in the next Test. Otherwise, like I said, this is a tour of England at the end of the day. Many strong and big teams have failed to win here. If you play in a way that you get 450 runs in the first innings, and the lose, I feel it's an opportunity missed."
Pink Villa
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Harbhajan Singh and Rohit Sharma call out Shikhar Dhawan's shagun prank: ‘It was totally empty'
At the launch of Who's The Boss?, a new YouTube talk show hosted by Harbhajan Singh and his wife Geeta Basra, the veteran off-spinner took a humorous dig at former teammate Shikhar Dhawan, sharing an anecdote from his 2015 wedding. Rohit Sharma soon pitched in, sharing how the cricketer had come to his and Sajdeh's wedding empty-handed. He states that Dhawan simply 'did a little dance and left.' Keep reading to find out what exactly they said. Dhawan's shagun prank leaves Harbhajan stunned According to Harbhajan Singh, Dhawan came to the celebration in Jalandhar, indulged in the food and festivities, and danced to his heart's content, stating, 'He danced loads, ate, drank, had an absolute blast.' Dhawan then slyly slipped a seemingly generous envelope into Harbhajan's pocket. 'When I opened it later,' Harbhajan said, 'not even 101 rupees, it didn't even have one rupee. It was totally empty!' This comes as a part of 'shagun,' an Indian wedding custom where guests gift money as a way to bless the couple. This is given in an envelope with cash and a symbolic one-rupee coin. Dhawan's envelope, however, was purely decorative. The tale left everyone laughing, especially after Harbhajan turned to Rohit Sharma and asked if he had received an empty envelope too. Rohit's response was equally blunt and comical: 'Kuch nahi. Naachke, khaake, aur peeke gaya tha,' which translates to 'Nothing. He danced, ate, drank, and just left.' Long-time teammates share their unforgettable memories While the story offered a laugh at Dhawan's expense, both Harbhajan and Rohit were quick to clarify that the good-natured ribbing came from a place of affection. Rohit, who married Ritika Sajdeh just weeks after Harbhajan, praised Dhawan as a 'class' individual and a dear friend. Rohit and Dhawan's friendship has always extended beyond just wedding halls, as Rohit recalled their childhood years playing together. He reminisced about how they had also toured with India A before even earning their national caps. As one of India's most successful opening pairs, the two cricketers have accumulated 5,148 runs in ODIs. They are the fourth-highest in history and the second-best for an Indian duo, according to New18. Though Dhawan retired in 2024, his antics—and absence of shagun—have left memories that Rohit and Harbhajan will laugh about for years.
NDTV
17-06-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Sarfaraz Khan's Snub For India vs England Tests 'Shocks' Harbhajan Singh, Asked To take Inspiration From Ignored...
Spin great Harbhajan Singh has thrown his weight behind wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav to start in India's playing XI for the first Test against England alongside Ravindra Jadeja. The series opener begins at Leeds on June 20. Traditionally, the surface at Leeds aids the pacers more than the spinners. "India should look to play Kuldeep Yadav. Of course, Jadeja will bowl with him. So, two spinners with three seamers would be the kind of perfect match for this game," Harbhajan told PTI Videos on Monday. The turbanator termed the left-arm wrist spinner as a potential match-winner irrespective of the conditions. 'Let's see if conditions will change or favour the spinners. But even if it doesn't, I think these are two capable bowlers who can take wickets on any wicket,' he said. Drawing on his own experience, Harbhajan recalled India's bold decision to field two spinners at Headingley in 2002, when he and Anil Kumble bagged 11 wickets between them on a green top. 'That was a very unique decision at that point of time. The pitch was as green as we are standing on this grass... But the management decided we'll go with two spinners and two fast bowlers and Sanjay Bangar will bowl as well. 'We went with five best bowlers who can pick wickets. That's what matters in the end. You have to back those bowlers who can pick wickets in any conditions or any kind of wicket', he said. With Shardul Thakur scoring a century in the intra-squad warm-up and taking wickets, Harbhajan believes he holds the edge over Nitish Reddy for the fast bowling all-rounder's slot. 'India needs a bowler who can bat a bit. India have got a batting till No. 7, and at No. 8, you need to see who can bowl and get those wickets for you and bat a bit. Not someone who bats and bowls a little bit.' 'That's where Shardul will have an edge on Nitish Reddy in my view. Nitish is a proper batsman who can definitely bowl. But we have not seen him bowling in the IPL much… "Gautam (Gambhir) is there. He is a very capable coach. And I am sure he will take the right decision.' he added. Harbhajan also weighed in on the much-talked-about exclusion of Sarfaraz Khan from the Test squad. 'It's very unfortunate... I was a bit shocked not seeing his name in the squad. I'm sure he will come back strong. He has got that will to make a comeback…All I can say is, don't be disheartened, you will get your due, if not today, then tomorrow…Look at Karun Nair. "He scored 300 runs against England and then never got too many opportunities. Now he is back in England with the team," Harbhajan added.
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Business Standard
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Business Standard
Harbhajan wants India to play both Kuldeep and Jadeja against England
As India gears up for the first Test against England at Leeds starting June 20, Harbhajan Singh has backed a two-spinner strategy, urging the team management to field both Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja despite seam-friendly conditions. The former India off-spinner believes Kuldeep's match-winning potential should not be overlooked simply due to traditional surface behaviour in English conditions. Harbhajan feels that even though the Headingley pitch has historically favoured fast bowlers, Kuldeep's wrist spin, combined with Jadeja's control, could give India the edge they need to start the series strongly. 'Pick bowlers who can win you games' Speaking ahead of the series, Harbhajan said India should focus on selecting bowlers who can take wickets in any conditions. Citing a past example, he recalled how he and Anil Kumble were backed as a spin pair in 2002 at Headingley—on a visibly green surface—and returned with 11 wickets between them. He stressed that India should not be afraid to replicate that bold move. According to him, Jadeja's consistency and Kuldeep's ability to deceive batters make them a dangerous combination, even in England. Shardul over Nitish for all-rounder's spot Harbhajan also weighed in on the debate surrounding India's fast-bowling all-rounder. With Shardul Thakur impressing in the intra-squad game—both with the bat and ball—the veteran spinner feels Thakur has a slight advantage over youngster Nitish Reddy. He explained that Thakur is more of a bowler who can bat, while Reddy, though promising, is primarily a batter with limited bowling exposure at the top level. Sarfaraz exclusion 'shocking' Touching on squad selections, Harbhajan expressed disappointment over Sarfaraz Khan's omission. He called it surprising, given the batter's consistent domestic performances. Encouraging the young batter to stay strong, Harbhajan drew a parallel with Karun Nair's comeback, hinting that perseverance eventually pays off in Indian cricket.
India Today
16-06-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Shardul Thakur vs Nitish Reddy: Harbhajan Singh picks his choice for England Tests
Former India cricket Harbhajan Singh has backed Shardul Thakur over Nitish Kumar Reddy for one of the all-rounder's role in the Indian XI for the upcmoming five-match Test series against England, giving the senior campaigner a slight edge. With fierce competition for spots in the 18-member squad, the battle for selection intensifies ahead of the first Test, beginning on June 20 in Thakur has returned to the Test fold for the first time since December 2023, on the back of consistent performances in domestic cricket and during the 2025 IPL season. Nitish Kumar Reddy, on the other hand, impressed in his maiden Test series after being fast-tracked for the tour of Australia. He scored 298 runs across five Tests, including a century and four scores above 35 in the Border-Gavaskar to the PTI news agency, Harbhajan made a case for Shardul, emphasising India's need for a fast-bowling all-rounder who can make a meaningful contribution with the ball, while also offering depth with the bat. 'India needs a bowler who can bat a bit. The batting line-up extends till No. 7, and at No. 8, you need someone who can take wickets and contribute with the bat—not just a batsman who bowls a little,' Harbhajan where I think Shardul has an edge over Nitish Reddy. Nitish is a proper batsman who can definitely bowl, but we haven't seen much of his bowling in the IPL.''Gautam (Gambhir) is there. He's a very capable coach, and I'm confident he'll make the right decision,' he SHARDUL?As Harbhajan pointed out, Nitish bowled only five overs across 13 matches during the 2025 IPL season. However, the young all-rounder has been working hard to increase his bowling workload ahead of the England Test Shardul and Nitish featured in India's two four-day warm-up matches earlier this month but struggled with the ball. That said, Shardul stood out in the intra-squad match between India and India A, scoring a century on Day 3 to complement a solid bowling also brings with him valuable red-ball experience in English conditions. The Mumbai all-rounder has taken 10 wickets in four Tests in England, including a four-wicket haul during the 2021–22 for his knack of breaking crucial partnerships, Shardul bowled over 200 overs in the domestic season, taking 35 wickets in nine matches in Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season, giving him greater bowling mileage and match Harbhajan also voiced support for playing both Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav in the first Test at Headingley, suggesting that a two-spinner strategy could prove effective in English TEST SQUAD FOR THE ENGLAND TOURadvertisementBatters: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun NairWicketkeepers: Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant (vice-captain)All-rounders: Nitish Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, Ravindra JadejaBowlers: Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj You May Also Like
