Harbhajan Singh over the years: The chequered career in pictures

The turning point

Harbhajan picked up a mind-boggling 32 wickets in 3 Tests against Australia

The 2001 series, a competition of epic proportions, was, without a doubt, the turning point in his career, one that gave him an identity as a match winner. In three Tests, Harbhajan took as many as 32 wickets, tormenting Ricky Ponting in particular as Team India won Tests in Kolkata and Chennai, remaining Steve Waugh’s ‘final frontier’. A hat trick and an eight-for were two of his standout performances.Next year, he continued the form by picking a bagful of wickets - forming an enviable partnership with Anil Kumble that was a throwback to India’s spin domination in the years gone by. He was India’s primary spinner in the 2003 World Cup, playing all the games barring the marquee clash against Pakistan. It showed that he was slowly replacing Kumble as India’s main tweaker in ODIs. He took 11 wickets in the tournament.

Harbhajan exults after picking the wicket of Tim de Leede in the 2003 World Cup

Injuries stalled his rise in 2004, but a corrective surgery to his finger allowed him to make a swift comeback and regain his place in the side.