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.
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.
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.
Virender Sehwag returns to the side after missing last month's one-day series against the West Indies because of poor form.
With 100-plus Tests and 400-plus wickets, most of them not exactly coming on rank turners, Harbhajan's name will always figure among true blue cricketing elites of India.
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'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.
An ace of 360-degree hitting, Suryakumar is going through a lean patch and has not scored a fifty in his last 18 ODI innings, but Harbhajan Singh reckons he is the complete package.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
'He has scored one fifty in five matches, and it was a scratchy fifty against Netherlands.'
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.
The Indian's invaluable knock guided Middlesex to an imposing 437 against Surrey in the first innings.
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.
Harbhajan finished with a match haul of 11 for 91 as Surrey beat Kent by four wickets.
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
Harbhajan said India are strong enough to win the World Cup even if they decide to forfeit the match against Pakistan in Manchester on June 16.
In another match in the County league, Harbhajan Singh, after failing to score in the first innings, hit up an unbeaten 15, inclusive of a six for Surrey.
Nadeem clinched the gold medal with a stunning Olympic record throw of 92.97m while defending champion Chopra took the silver
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