Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Monday said that Team India won't be integrated if there are different captains for Tests, ODIs and T20Is. In an exclusive interview with India TV's Samip Rajguru, the legendary India cricketer backed BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and opined that the board was right in appointing Rohit Sharma as India's limited-overs captain.
There have been raging debates on the split captaincy issue with India Test captain Virat Kohli dropping a bombshell in a press conference that he intended to remain as India ODI captain and that Ganguly never asked him to stay as T20I skipper. With Kohli openly criticizing the board and Ganguly, the issue snowballed into a controversy just prior to the South Africa tour.
"I completely agree.If you are giving responsibility to one in handling white ball captaincy then he should be given completely. I feel that the board should give complete responsibility of the white ball captaincy and the BCCI did the right thing. But, Virat Kohli deserves to be informed earlier. But yes, you cannot have one T20I captain, one ODI and one Test captain as it will do no good to the team," Harbhajan said.
Bhajji's camaraderie with Sachin Tendulkar
The first Indian player to take a hat-trick in Test cricket- Harbhajan Singh spoke of the connect he shares with the batting great Sachin Tendulkar.
"When I first met Pajji (Sachin Tenulkar) on the ground, I was terrified and used to fear him thinking he was Sachin Tendulkar. Seeing him used to feel like witnessing a Taj Mahal. Sharing the dressing room with him, becoming friends with him, having meals with him in his room are memorable moments.
"I must tell you that we (me and Sachin Tendulkar) used to have a favorite dish. We used to have it irrespective of which hotel we were in. We used to have Crispy Bhindi (ladyfinger)."
"Learnt a lot from Sachin Tendulkar. He was an unbelievable batsman and was even a better as a person and is even today. Even if today we look for his guidance now, he is just one phone call away," said the Indian spinner.
Harbhajan regrets not playing as a team after 2011 World Cup
The Indian player from Punjab had laments for not having got enough opportunities even after taking 400+ wickets.
"See, it was around 2011-12, just when we (India) had won the 2011 World Cup. But after that, the World Cup winning team never played together thereafter. The World Cup team who had won the World Cup not playing together again was shocking.
"I was 31-year old when I had taken 400 wickets. When a 31-year old man had taken 400 wickets, it meant that in my upcoming 8-9 years of career, I could have taken 100 wickets. But after this I wasn't given a chance to play matches and neither I was picked," said the bowler who played 103 Tests for India.
Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble- India's spin duo
The 417 Test wickets taker, Harbhajan Singh talked at length about his connect with Anil Kumble and how the duo troubled the opposition and took wickets. The two Indian spinners played 54 matches together and scalped a total of 501 wickets.
"I would just say that I have learnt a lot from Anil Bhai. He is one of those players who has brought India maximum wins in the matches. If he wouldn't have been with me, I wouldn't have been this big a player. So, he played a big role in my career, learnt a lot from him.
"I am quite lucky to having played with some legends like Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid. Our seniors were actually good. They used to help and guide us not just on-the-field but off-the-field as well.
Bhajji called the experience of bowling alongside Anil Kumble as unbelievable.
"He used to create so much pressure that he was committed to bowl good deliveries and wickets used to come. If not from my end, Anil Bhai used to get the wickets. If Anil Bhai didn't get the wickets, I used to. Those were fantastic days," said Bhajji thanking Anil Kumble for all the love and support.
