A Focus on Harbajan Singh

India’s ace Offspin bowler Harbajan Singh,hailing from Punjab from a lower middle class family shot into prominence in the year 2001, during the India-Australia home series, which India won 2-1.Still Harbajan Singh’s hat-trick that he achieved against the Australia, in the Calcutta Test, is in vivid memory for which he received personal accolades from the then Prime Minister of India, Mr.Atal Behari Vajpayee.  

When Harbajan Singh shot into prominence overnight, he was inducted into Air India as an officer.Even the Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal offered him the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police in Punjab, which was politely refused by Harbajan Singh.Now Harbajan Singh is a millionaire, owning a bungalow at Chandigar.

Of late Harnabajan Singh has been in the centre stage of controversy for the past few months, ever since he undertook an official cricket tour of Australia as an Indian team member especially for his on field behaviour. He was imperious, haughty and intemperate in his temperament and easily got provoked and became a highly volatile personality.During the second cricket test played between India and Australia at SCG, at Sydney, Harbajan Singh got himself entangled into a verbal duel with the Australian player Andrew Symonds, and what he said perhaps ‘ma kee’ a vulgar word in Punjab was taken as ‘Monkey’ by the Australian players, perhaps  an unfortunate coincidence with the look of Andrew Symonds when he applies a cream only in his lips when he plays,exactly resembling Lord Anjaneya.In the disciplinary action taken by the ICC on the appeal preferred by Harbajan Singh, a hearing was held by a New Zealand Judge and Harbajan Singh was let off with a minor punishment of fine and Harbajan Singh should not forget the support and solidarity shown by the BCCI, throughout the episode. India went on to loose the Australian Test series 2-1 and won the triangular one day international final impressively with the scoreline 2-0.

The IPL Twenty Twenty cricket match series began on April, 23.Harbajan Singh, was included in the Mumbai Indian team.In the absence of Sachin Tendulakar, who could not play due to injury, Harbajan Singh, being the next senior most player in the team had to lead the team in the league matches.From the beginning Mumbai Indians were in a loosing streak.They had already lost two matches in a row.It was the third match played by Mumbai Indian XI with the Punjab Kings XI.

The match was lost by the Mumbai Indians XI. Sreesanth , a team member of the winning team Punjab’s King XI was naturally elated at his teams victory.But Harbajan Singh, could not tolerate the celebration mood of Sreesanth, an unsportsmanlike attitude on the part of Harbajan Singh and all of a sudden he went on to slap Sreesanth, who wept profusely consequent to the slapping incident.Though, Harbajan Singh immediately confessed his mistake and tendered apology to Sreesanth, the match referee for the IPL match as per rules of IPL match proceedings, held an enquiry over the incident and in the end Harbajan Singh was banned for 11 IPL matches besides forfeiting 100 % of his match fee.

BCCI on its part as per the rules governing the players of BCCI, it held a separate enquiry under a lawyer namely Nanavathi.He has said that Harbajan Singh has admitted his mistake and has been found guilty.Nanavathi is yet to submit his report to the BCCI, which will take its own course of action against Harbajan Singh.

Meanwhile the employer of Harbajan Singh, Air India has reported said that it has not proposed to take any disciplinary action against their employer Harbajan Singh, since action has already been taken by the IPL and Harbajan Singh has been banned for 11 matches.

The series of incidents involving Harbajan Singh has sparked of different comments from different cricket players in India and abroad. As far as Sreesanth is concerned he has totally forgotten the incident and he has already excused Harbajan Singh.The Australian player Ricky Ponting has commented that the on field behavoiur of Harbajan Singh involving the slapping episode is a matter of great concern and people will make their own judgement on Harbajan Singh.

Another Australian player Shane Warne has also made his comments on Harbajan Singh stating that he had admitted the slapping incident honestly and it is quite natural that a cricket player has ups and downs in his cricket career and he is ready and willing to help Harbajan Singh in any manner that will help him to forget the incident and concentrate in his game.

Let us wait and see what is the action of BCCI against Harbajan Singh and what would be his approach and behaviour in the near future vis- a-vis cricket is concerned.