When Harbhajan Singh produced six overs of magic

Harbhajan Singh (centre) bowled a great spell to help India win the fourth ODI

He wasn't supposed to be here. He was way past his prime. He was not bowling well. It had been a long time since he had. If Ravichandran Ashwin hadn't injured himself, if India had other options, he wouldn't have been here. India didn't want him. They just needed an off-spinner.

Harbhajan Singh wasn't meant to play this match, this series. He wasn't capable of bowling the way he once bowled. He was the bowler whose prime ended at 30, the age when others enter theirs.

He was the man who had taken his 400th Test wicket in 2011, four long years back. He was the man once touted to be India's greatest bowler. He was the man once expected to finish as their leading wicket-taker.

He was this and a lot more. But, yesterday, he wasn't supposed to be here. He wasn't supposed to bowl the way he did. He wasn't supposed to do what he did to us.

Harbhajan Singh, at his peak, was a delight to watch. A relaxed, easy run-up. A sort of wavy dance with his hands. High release. Sharp spin. Extravagant bounce. Wickets, lots of them.

Yesterday, Harbhajan, for six overs, was all of that.

For those six overs, a man deemed to be finished came back from the dead. He bowled as if he was still the bowler who people thought was India's best. He bowled as if he was at his peak. He bowled as if he was a mainstay, not a stop gap arrangement. He bowled to thrill us, he bowled to excite us. Just like those good old days.

Those six overs, of spin, of bounce, of humiliating batsmen was what only Harbhajan could pull off.

For those six overs, we forgot about Ashwin and Amit Mishra. Those six overs were all about memories, flashes from the past. Those six overs were all about the glorious days of Indian Cricket, about overseas victories and World Cups. Those six overs were all about Harbhajan.

Quinton de Kock was caught at second slip. David Miller was adjudged leg before off the traditional doosra. Vintage Harbhajan. He got only two wickets. But this spell had meaning. It couldn't be judged by mere numbers alone.

But, that magic lasted only for six overs. For the next four overs, he didn't bowl like the Harbhajan of old. The ball didn't come out as nicely, there was no loop, there was no direction. He was milked, he was hit.

He bowled like an ordinary off-spinner, who was in the team only because there's no one else around. Sadly, that's what he is currently. That's what his identity is.

For those six overs, Harbhajan defied his mind, his body, his form, his critics. For those six overs, Harbhajan defied his identity to produce a spell that left us reeling in the past, reminiscing what he could have been, what he could have achieved had his prime lasted a little bit longer.

For those six overs, Harbhajan made us relive the past.

For those six overs, Harbhajan turned the clock back to produce magic.

For those six overs, Harbhajan was magic.