India's new pace sensation Ishant Sharma and in-form batsman Gautam Gambhir have been overlooked for the first two Tests of the three-Test series against South Africa, beginning next week. The lanky Ishant, who put up a sterling show during India's recent tour of Australia, was not considered for selection since he hasn't recovered from a finger injury sustained Down Under during the tri-series which India won.
BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said Harbhajan Singh is available for selection for the Nagpur Test, beginning March 1.
India have missed a trick by failing to include a specialist left-arm spinner in their World Cup squad, says former India cricketer Mohinder Amarnath.
Indian seamer Irfan Pathan put behind injury fears and took the field for Middlesex on Wednesday.
The Indian off-spinner's haul of 6 for 36 helped the English county skittle out Hampshire for 146 runs.
'Did you read Harbhajan's comments about Ashwin? He was out of order there. What is first spinner and second spinner? Spinner is a spinner,' said Engineer during a talk show organised by Legends Club at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai on Wednesday.
A furious Harbhajan Singh chided Adam Gilchrist after the Australian suggested that he was perhaps not out when the Indian spinner had him leg before wicket during his historic hat-trick way back in the Kolkata Test in 2001.
The two stalwarts were named in the Test squad for the series which begins May 10.
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori won the toss and elected to field against India in the first Twenty20 international at the AMI Stadium in Christchurch on Wednesday. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh returned to the Indian team, replacing all-rounder Ravinder Jadeja, who featured in India's last Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka.
India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh refused to believe that cricket is no longer a clean sport in the wake of spot-fixing scandal and said commitment of all the cricketers around the world should not be questioned because of the misdeeds of a few individuals.
Virender Sehwag returns to the side after missing last month's one-day series against the West Indies because of poor form.
After former wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist created quite a stir with his revelations about the infamous Sydney Test in his book, it is the turn of skipper Ricky Ponting to give his take on the racism row that shook world cricket.
Harbhajan Singh does not doubt mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis' potentials but the star off-spinner believes it is old trickster Muttiah Muralitharan who would pose bigger threat for the Indian batsmen in the forthcoming Test series. Harbhajan heaps praise on Mendis, who ran through India's batting order in the Asia Cup final in Karachi, and said it was an extraordinary display of quality spin bowling.
Mumbai Indians bowling coach and mentor Shaun Pollock today said that there is nothing to worry about captain Harbhajan Singh's extended lean patch with the ball.
Sehwag, who is suffering from a shoulder injury, will be replaced by Delhi team mate Gautam Gambhir.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is all set to take action against it's Cricket Committee chairman Sunil Gavaskar for his outburst against match referee Mike Procter, who had slapped a three-Test ban on Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for racist abuse.
Irfan Pathan was handed the job of opening the batting with Virender Sehwag after Wasim Jaffer was left out.
Former Australia speedster Brett Lee applauded Harbhajan Singh, saying that the veteran Indian off-spinner has shown a lot of confidence while bowling for Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing IPL.
An Australian newspaper on Monday published a picture of Andrew Symonds with his face superimposed on Hanuman's body, giving a comic touch to the racial slur furore in the Sydney Test.
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh says he has full faith in the Board of Control for Cricket in India and will abide by its advise on the contentious 'whereabout' clause of the WADA anti-doping code.
Harbhajan Singh's tweet about 'spin-friendly' pitches in India lead to a controversy with many perceiving the senior spinner was taking a dig at India's spin king Ravinchandran Ashwin. Ashwin was awarded man of the series for taking 27 wickets in the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand. The off-spinner has also taken the No.1 spot in Test rankings for bowlers.
English spinner Graeme Swann's success in South Africa last season could inspire Harbhajan Singh to achieve greater deeds during India's three-match Test series against the Proteas, feels batsman Ashwell Prince.
The Indian's invaluable knock guided Middlesex to an imposing 437 against Surrey in the first innings.
Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has nothing but empathy for Hardik Pandya as he navigates a challenging phase in his career and is hopeful that the all-rounder, who "hasn't been a free man in the last two months", will become one during next month's T20 World Cup.
A day after reports claimed that Sachin Tendulkar helped Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh bury the hatchet of the Sydney Test racial row scandal to become friends, the Indian off-spinner described the Australian all-rounder a "great guy".
Punjab captain Harbhajan Singh has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee for showing dissent to the umpire's decision during the team's Ranji Trophy quarter-final match against Jharkhand in Jamshedpur, on Monday.
The sting in a "totally fit" Harbhajan Singh's bowling is on its way back and the out-of-favour off-spinner is eying a comeback into the Indian cricket team at the earliest.
Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh have been ruled out of the remainder of the England Test series because of injuries. Virat Kohli and Pragyan Ojha have been named replacements.
England skipper Kevin Pietersen struck a majestic 15th Test century of his Test career before India fought back to take two late wickets on the third day of the second and final Test on Sunday.
Opener Virender Sehwag has backed teammate Harbhajan Singh, saying it is "just a matter of time" before the off-spinner gets back in form to regain his place in the Indian team.
The fitness and form of skipper Anil Kumble is India's main concern ahead of the second Test against Australia starting in Mohali on Friday. The leg spinner, who turns 38 on Friday, said after the game he hopes to be 100 percent fit to team up with off spinner Harbhajan Singh on a bouncier Mohali pitch that should suit him.
Harbhajan finished with a match haul of 11 for 91 as Surrey beat Kent by four wickets.
As the Sydney furore finally settles down with the lifting of ban on Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, Australian pace spearhead Brett Lee urged the two teams to learn from the controversy and move on for the sake of cricket's future.
Matthew Hayden may not be among the big admirers of Harbhajan Singh but the Australian opener has no qualms in admitting that the feisty Indian off-spinner would pose main threat to his side during their four-match Test series beginning October 9.
Harbhajan Singh found himself in fresh controversy on Wednesday after jabbing at a photographer at the Bangalore International Airport before leaving for the tri-series in Sri Lanka.
"Too much focus on Twenty20" is harming Harbhajan Singh's international cricket career but the out-of-favour Indian off-spinner needs to be supported instead of being cold shouldered, feels former Pakistan tweaker Saqlain Mushtaq.
Ignored for India's first Test against the West Indies at home, Harbhajan Singh was named captain of the Punjab Ranji Trophy team that will take on Uttar Pradesh in their opening encounter at Mohali, beginning November 3.
