High time for Harbhajan to return to international cricket: Ganguly – Cricket News Update
Former Indian skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Harbhajan-Singh-c61453 to be brought back to the international arena as soon as possible, stating that a year was far too long a break for the talented off-spinner.
“... he needs to be brought back to the international fold as early as possible ... if in India you are picking three best spinners in the country, Harbhajan Singh's got to figure in that list,” Ganguly said while speaking at the ESPN Star Sports' launch
event for their plans to cover the ICC World T20 in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758. “Harbhajan is one bowler who should be playing all three formats of the game.”
“... one year was a bit too long time to keep Harbhajan out of the Indian team,” Ganguly went on to add. “The board should have spoken to him and told him that ‘look we are giving you six months time to sort out your bowling’.”
Following his debut in March 1998 during a Test against Australia at Bangalore, Harbhajan caught India’s attention by claiming 32 wickets in three Tests against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 in March 2001. A veteran of 98 Tests (406 wickets) and 229 ODIs (259 scalps), Harbhajan
is counted among http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Anil-Kumble-c44737. However, the 32-year-old’s career path has been far from smooth.
In addition to a string of disciplinary breaches (including an ugly on-field altercation with Australia’s http://www.senore.com/Cricket/S-Sreesanth-c2398), health issues have posed a major
concern for Harbhajan’s career of late.
He last played for the national team during a Test series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 in August 2011, which he was abruptly forced to leave mid-way, owing to a stomach injury. In addition to the fitness complaint, a lack of form had seen him lose the attention of the
national selectors, and he was unable to reach the landmark of a 100 Tests (of which he was two matches short).
Doubts arose regarding his comeback to the team after he was absent from the line-ups for the home series against the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 this year, and a recent limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka.
However, a successful stint in the Indian Premier League (during which he captained the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Essex-c783, enabled him to attract the attention of the selectors again,
and after over a year out of the national side, he will be returning to help India in their http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World Twenty20 campaign in Sri Lanka this September.
Tags: