Harbhajan Singh opens up about his daughter and comeback to international cricket

What’s the story?

Indian cricket team’s off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is enjoying his life off cricket and made it clear when he spoke about his daughter and his personal life off the field in an interview with Hindustan Times.

“This had to happen. She will always be (my) priority now. My daughter is growing up and I want to live every moment of it. I haven’t played (international) cricket in the last 8-9 months, but I can still get back to it. I can’t not be there for my daughter when she is growing up. That won’t come back,” said the 36-year-old spinner

I’ve been playing cricket for almost 18-19 years now. This (marriage and fatherhood) is happening to me for the first time. Now, it’s all about family. Whatever I’ve achieved so far in life and in the future is for them. My family is my world,” he continued.

In case you didn’t know...

Harbhajan last played an international match against the United Arab Emirates in the World T20 in 2016. After getting married on 29^th October 2015, Harbhajan and his wife Geeta Basra welcomed their first daughter Hinaya Heer Plaha in July last year.

Recently, Harbhajan came under the hammer after his prediction about the India-Australia Test series was completely wrong as Australia thrashed India in the first Test at Pune.

Extra Cover: Harbhajan Singh congratulates Australia after his series prediction goes wrong

The heart of the matter

Harbhajan went on to say that he has been playing cricket for 18-19 years now, and marriage and fatherhood is happening to him for the first time in his life, so he would like to concentrate on his family for the time being.

The Turbanator made his debut in 1998 and went on to play 103 Tests and 236 ODIs for the Indian cricket team. He has picked up 413 wickets in Tests, which is the second highest by an off spinner, behind Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan.

What’s next?

Harbhajan is currently leading the Punjab side in the Vijay Hazare Trophy where he is going through a good run of form and will continue playing for the Mumbai Indians side in the Indian Premier League which begins on April 5^th.

Sportskeeda’s take

After serving the Indian team for over 15 years and being one of the most successful bowlers of all time, Harbhajan definitely deserves the time off with his family. If he continues his good run of form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and carries it on to the IPL as well, we could surely see him make another comeback to the side. The team management has been making a lot of changes in the spin bowling department in the shorter formats of the game, and it would be a delight to watch Harbhajan take the field for the Men in Blue once again.

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