Top five Harbhajan Singh spells in Test cricket

Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday. Harbhajan, fondly known as the 'Turbanator', drew curtains on a career spanning over two decades with truckloads of success across all formats of the game.

Harbhajan Singh represented India in 103 tests, 236 ODIs and 28 T20Is. He made his debut in international cricket against his favorite nemesis Australia way back in 1998 in a test match. Harbhajan's final international appearance was a T20 against the UAE during the 2016 Asia Cup in Dhaka.

With 417 wickets in the format, Harbhajan Singh is India's third highest wicket-taker of all time in Test cricket. It was with the red ball that Harbhajan made heads turn. He became a household name in Indian cricket, with his partnership with Anil Kumble winning India many games.

As Harbhajan Singh calls time on an illustrious career, we take a look at five of his best spells in the longest format of the game:

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#5. 6/63 versus New Zealand in Hamilton, 2009

In what was one of India's most famous test series victories, Harbhajan Singh was one of the main protagonists. The year was 2009 and India had arrived on New Zealand shores, having won there only once back in 1967-68.

Electing to field first, India had the hosts reeling on the first morning with the score reading 60/6. The Kiwis fought back courtesy of counter-attacking hundreds from Jesse Ryder and skipper Daniel Vettori to put up a competitive 279. Led by a Sachin Tendulkar masterclass, though, the visitors piled on 520 to floor the hosts onto the mat.

The 2nd innings saw Harbhajan Singh weave his magic. Martin Guptill and Daniel Flynn were in the midst of a solid partnership when the offie broke the stand with the wicket of the former. That sparked a Kiwi collapse before Flynn's defiance and Brendon McCullum's panache frustrated the visitors.

However, Harbhajan Singh put an end to it with the wicket of Flynn, who was caught by the man under the helmet at short leg. On either side of this, Harbhajan would account for the in-form Ryder while mopping the tail to end with figures of 6/63.

McCullum eventually fell to Yuvraj Singh for 84, and the target of 39 was overhauled without a fuss. India would go on to clinch a historic 1-0 series win.

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#4. 5/59 versus South Africa in Kolkata, 2010

Harbhajan Singh celebrates a wicket

Harbhajan Singh's tryst with Eden Gardens goes back a long way. He was in the thick of the action again during the 2nd test against South Africa in February 2010. India suffered an innings defeat in the first test in Nagpur. Needing to level the series, they bowled South Africa out for 296 in the 1st innings in Kolkata.

In reply, a quartet of centuries by Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni powered India to 643/6. With a lead of 347, the hosts declared before Harbhajan Singh got into the act along with Amit Mishra in South Africa's second essay. However, a wet outfield and bad light robbed plenty of overs off Day 4 and extended the game into Day 5.

Harbhajan kept chipping away and barely gave away any runs as the Indian bowlers cut the Proteas batting lineup to size. With just one wicket left though, Hashim Amla, in the midst of his third ton in as many innings, defied the bowlers with a blockathon. Morne Morkel was an able ally and it seemed as though the visitors would scrape through to a famous draw.

However, with minutes to go until Stumps, Harbhajan Singh sent down a straight one to trap Morkel plumb in front. Another five-for at Eden Gardens for the Turbanator saw India wrap up a thrilling victory to square the series.

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#3. 5/13 versus West Indies in Kingston, 2006

Harbhan Singh was key to India's victory over West Indies in 2006

Harbhajan Singh played a pivotal role in yet another famous Indian overseas win, this time in Kingston, Jamaica. It was 2006 and the series was squared 0-0 heading into the 3rd test. On a pacey Sabina Park strip, West Indian seamers skittled India out for a meager 200 to take control of the test.

That would be short-lived though, with India roaring back in emphatic fashion with the ball. Daren Ganga and skipper Brian Lara steadied the West Indian ship before the latter was prized out by S. Sreesanth. A couple of quick wickets saw the Windies tottering at 72/4 which was when Harbhajan Singh took over.

The offie got rid of the well-set Daren Ganga for 40 before scything through the rest of the lineup in no time. In a display of courageous, flighted off-spin bowling, Harbhajan got rid of Dwayne Bravo, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Denesh Ramdin to leave the hosts reeling at 99/8. He then prized out Pedro Collins to skittle the hosts out for 103.

India would only manage 171 in the 2nd innings. While Harbhajan Singh went wicketless in the 2nd essay, West Indies were bowled out for 219. A famous 49-run victory paved the way for a 1-0 series win across the four games played. It was a win largely orchestrated by the guile of Harbhajan Singh.

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#2. 7/133 and 8/84 versus Australia in Chennai, 2001

Harbhajan Singh was close to unplayable in the famous Border-Gavaskar Trophy series of 2001

Yes, that series. It was a series that made the world turn and look up to Harbhajan Singh as a rising force in international cricket. With the series leveled at 1-1, the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai was set for another epic saga between India and Australia in 2001.

Matthew Hayden's epic 203 didn't stop Harbhajan Singh from running through the rest of the Aussie lineup. Harbhajan would prevent Hayden from carrying his bat as the Aussies were bowled out for 391, with Harbhajan picking up 7/133. A solid batting performance by the hosts saw them pile up 501, before Harbhajan took centerstage yet again.

If his marathon spell in the first innings wasn't enough, Australia had to deal with more of Harbhajan Singh. Returning career-best figures of 8/84, Harbhajan regularly chipped away at the Aussie lineup, leaving India with just 155 runs to get.

An alarming collapse had the Indians on their toes, but it seemed like destiny had its own script in mind. Fittingly, the man who picked up 32 wickets across the three-test series, sealed the game and the series with the winning runs. Harbhajan Singh had well and truly arrived!

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#1. 7/123 and 6/73 versus Australia in Kolkata, 2001

Another historic Test, another historic performance by Harbhajan Singh

Before the heroics of Chennai was a Houdini effort in Kolkata. On either side of VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid's epic marathon, Harbhajan Singh wrote himself into the history books. He became the first Indian to pick up a hat-trick in Tests on Day 1. He picked up a 7-fer that dismantled the lower middle-order of the Australians.

The visitors still piled up 445 runs before blowing India away for 171. Having enforced the follow-on, Australia had no idea what they were about to endure. Laxman and Dravid, having swapped positions, piled on the agony on the men in yellow. The duo batted the entirety of Day 4, making a mockery of the famed Aussie bowling attack before India set a target of 384 on the final day.

At 166/3, it seemed like Australia would bat their way to a draw. But it was that man, Harbhajan Singh, again who added a twist to the tale. Harbhajan removed captain Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting within the space of four deliveries to break open the contest.

Sachin Tendulkar joined in with three quick wickets. The duo ensured the Australian innings folded for 212 to complete a jailbreak of the highest proportion. That was followed by the series-clincher in Chennai, once again orchestrated by 'Bhajji'. Needless to say, while talking about Harbhajan Singh's achievements in the sport, this match and series will be spoken about in great regard.