Harbhajan Singh's 5 best bowling performances in Tests

With a tally of 694 International wickets (including Tests, ODIs and T20Is) choosing five of the best bowling performances of Harbhajan Singh takes a long laborious research. The Turbanator with his stellar performances and bucketful of wickets has established himself as one of Indian cricket history’s best spinners. .With 413 Test scalps, Bhajji ranks third on the list of most successful Indian bowlers in Tests and stands at 10th in the overall list of highest wicket-takers in the longer version of the game. While in the one-day format, he has 259 wickets in 229 outings. That makes him the fifth most successful Indian ODI bowler. The Punjabi also packs quite a punch in the shortest format of the game. In T20 Internationals, Harbhajan is the fourth most successful Indian bowler with 22 scalps in 25 outings.The 33-year-old also churned out crucial performances for Mumbai Indians in this season's Indian Premier League. Plying his trade in the 7th edition of the cash-rich tournament, the 33-year-old scalped 14 wickets in as many matches. The Turbanator was also miserly in giving away runs, ranking 6th on the list of the most economical bowlers in IPL 7 at an economy rate of 6.47. But the efforts went in vain as the rise of Ravichandran Ashwin has deemed him surplus to requirements, and he was recently ignored for India’s upcoming tour to Bangladesh and then England.Here’s to refresh your memories with some of the best performances by the Jalandhar-born spinner:

#5 Cape Town cameo

On a Cape Town track that showed signs of wear and tear since Day 3 of the 3rd Test, Harbhajan gave India hope of a rare series win on South African soil on their 2010/11 tour with a superb bowling performance.

After winning the 1st Test by an innings and 25 runs at Centurion, the hosts were talking of completing a whitewash against the visiting Indians. Harbhajan's match figures of 4 for 10 and 2 for 70 along with VVS Laxman's second innings 96 scripted a superb turnaround for India as they levelled the series 1-1 with an 87-run win at Durban. Now, it was a much-awaited encounter at the Newlands, Cape Town.

Old warhorse Jacques Kallis notched 161 to guide the Proteas to 362, after they had lost both their openers Alviro Petersen and skipper Graeme Smith with just 34 runs on the board. In reply, Sachin Tendulkar struck 146, his 51st Test ton, to guide India to 2 runs ahead of the hosts.

Starting from Day 3, Harbhajan started his cameo as he sent the South African top-order packing. Tottering at 130 with 6 wickets already down, it was only another ton from Kallis, his 40th (an unbeaten 109) that took them to 341.

India had to chase 340 on the last day, but an extremely cautious approach from the batsmen meant they were not in a mood to go all out for a win. India crawled to 166/3 in 82 overs as the captains shook hands signalling a draw. Thus in spite of Harbhajan's superb bowling performance, India spurned the chance to clinch a win at Cape Town and seal a historic 2-1 series win on South African soil.

#4 Winning matches overseas

One of the many criticisms that Harbhajan has had to face in his career is his lack of match-winning performances overseas. When pointed out that the off-spinner had turned out to be a match-winner for the team on home soil, critics would ask what has he done outside the subcontinent?

Before this Test at Hamilton, Bhajji had taken 17 5-wicket hauls at home, while just 5 overseas. For the most successful Indian off-spinner and someone tipped to take over the spin department reigns from veteran Anil Kumble, that didn't fare well.

Sending New Zealand into bat at the 1st Test of the 3-match series at Seddon Park, Hamilton, Harbhajan initially failed to read the track properly. He could only manage 1 for 57, as centuries from Daniel Vettori (118) and Jesse Ryder (102) helped the Kiwis reach 279 an a tricky turf. But Harbhajan turned around the tables in the 2nd innings. After Sachin Tendulkar's 160 helped India post 520, Bhajji took to tormenting the hosts.

He sliced through the hosts batting line-up scalping 6 wickets in 28 overs, giving away just 63 runs in the process. New Zealand were restricted to 279, setting a target of 38 for India which they managed without even losing a wicket. Harbhajan had finally graduated from being a success on flat turning sub continental tracks to a proven match winner overseas.

#3 Foxing the West Indies

West Indies had toured India in 2002 for a 3-match Test series, and after the Indian batsmen and pacer Zaheer Khan starred in the 1st innings of the opening Test at the Wankhede, Harbhajan took over in tormenting Carl Hooper's side.

India had got off to a super start in the first innings in Mumbai courtesy tons from Virender Sehwag (147) and Rahul Dravid (100 retired hurt), who guided them to 457. In reply, Zaheer Khan (4 for 41) and Anil Kumble (4 for 51) humbled the Windies for 157.

When sent on to follow-on, Harbhajan took his turn to inflict further humiliation on the visitors. He took 7 for 48 in one of his best bowling performances, ripping apart the Windies batting line-up as India won by an innings and 112 runs.

#2 Champion at Chepauk

For critics who doubted Harbhajan's talent citing the Eden heroics as a fluke, he continued his dream run at Chepauk to seal a 2-1 series win for India.

Matthew Hayden had punished the Indian bowlers in the first innings in Chennai Test, slamming a 320-ball 203. But Harbhajan stayed safe from this onslaught as his wily spin returned 7 Australian scalps for 133 runs, while also dismissing the brutal Hayden as India managed to contain the visitors for 391.

In reply the Indian top order churned out a disciplined performance, with Shiv Sundar Das (84), Sadagopan Ramesh (61), VVS Laxman (65) and Rahul Dravid (81) all scoring fifties, while Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar (126) struck a ton.

Harbhajan ripped apart the famed Aussie batting line up in the 2nd innings, scalping 8 Kangaroo wickets for a measly 84 in another one of his best bowling performances. Chasing 155 for a win, Harbhajan (3*) was at the crease along with keeper Sameer Dighe (22*) as India sealed an exciting 2-wicket win to lift the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

#1 The Eden Gardens love affair

Harbhajan Singh has fond memories of the grand Eden Gardens stadium at Kolkata. The Turbanator has always found success on the hallowed turf, scalping 46 wickets in 7 Tests with 6 five-wicket hauls. His record at Eden makes him the most successful bowler on that ground.

Prior to the Test at Kolkata in 2001, Harbhajan had been overlooked by national selectors for long. It took a lot of persuasion from then skipper Sourav Ganguly for the selectors to finally give him the nod. Since his international debut in 1998 till the Eden Test, Bhajji had featured in just 8 Tests and 12 ODIs.

In the 1st Test of the series against Australia, Harbhajan showed promise but couldn't stop India being shamed by a 10-wicket loss at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The rookie foxed Aussie heavyweights like Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist but couldn't prevent a humiliation.

It was a make-or-break scene for the youngster in the 2nd Test. Had India lost in Kolkata, they would have given away the series. And such a dismal outing at home would have led to calls of major changes in the squad, a looming threat for a young unproven talent like Bhajji. But Harbhajan chose this occasion to make his mark in one of the Greatest Test matches ever played.

He turned out with impressive figures of 7 for 123 in the 1st innings, but a ton (110) from skipper Steve Waugh guided the Aussies to 445. En route Harbhajan also became the first Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in Tests as he showed Ponting, Gilchrist and Warne the door in succession. But in reply India were skittled out for just 171 as Aussie pacers Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz scalped 8 wickets for 104 amongst them. India were asked to follow on and the crowd slowly started to leave the stands. Little did they know of the historic turnaround that lay in store for them.

Following on, VVS Laxman scored a sublime career-best 281, aided with Rahul Dravid's 180 to post a mammoth 657/7 when skipper Ganguly decided to declare. The visitors hadn't foreseen such a fight back from the Indians, and now were looking at an imposing target of 383 to win.

But for any Aussie fan who rooted for them chasing this steep target, Harbhajan put them to end. He took figures of 6 for 73 as India went on to register a 171-run win. Bhajji tormented his bunny Ricky Ponting again as he scalped Punter again in the 2nd innings. He scalped Ponting five times under the score of 12 in the series, tormenting the Aussie great. The off-spinner returned with his career-best scalp of 15 for 217 in the Test, as he cemented his place in the Indian team for many such upcoming heroics.

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Edited by Staff Editor