Harbhajan Singh recalled the famous 2001 Eden Gardens Test, calling Australia 'bad losers'.
Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh called Australia 'very bad losers' as he remembered the final wicket of the Eden Gardens Test in 2001. Harbhajan had dismissed Glenn McGrath for the final wicket which gave India the victory but the Australian stood his ground, expressing his dissatisfaction at the umpire's decision.
In a live chat with Ravichandran Ashwin on Instagram, the 38-year-old said that it 'must have been tough' for the Aussies to lose from a comfortable position.
"It was straight in line, the ball was going to spin as well. I think if DRS was there at that time, it would have hit the stumps for sure. But that's McGrath for you. Australia has produced many great players, but they are bad losers. They lost the match from a comfortable position. So it must have been hard for them," said Harbhajan.
"That is Australia for you. When they bowl, they feel everything is out. When they are facing it, they feel they are not out. They were not really happy about most of the decisions during the 2001 series. But this is how the game goes. During the 2008 series when we went to Australia, we also faced a few bad decisions as well."
Harbhajan also mentioned that many people on Twitter have brought Adam Gilchrist's dismissal in the 2001 Test, calling it unfair. The spinner, however, said that one must not keep 'crying about it'.
"These things happen in the field. We have to accept it as a player. We don't need to keep on crying about it. We now see some people say on Twitter that Gilchrist was not out. So what if he was not out? How many times have I got him out? If not the first ball, I could have got him out on the second ball," said the spinner.
India had registered an incredible 171-run victory in the Test in Kolkata after being enforced a follow-on by the Aussies - becoming the only second team in cricket history to do so. After being bowled out for 171 in the first innings, India scored a mammoth 657/7, thanks to VVS Laxman's 281 and Rahul Dravid's 180.
The duo added 376 runs together, helping India give a 384-run target for Australia. Harbhajan then took six wickets in the second innings as Australia were bowled out for 212.
