Harbhajan Singh

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Lore & Background

Harbhajan's journey to the Chennai Super Kings was preceded by a dominant decade with the Mumbai Indians. In the 2010 IPL season, he finished as the team's leading wicket-taker with 17 wickets at an average of 22.17, helping them reach the final where he opened the bowling but went wicketless. His most celebrated moment came during the 2011 Champions League Twenty20, where he led Mumbai Indians to their first ever championship by 31 runs, earning the man-of-the-match award for his contribution. Although the team faltered in the 2011 IPL playoffs against Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings, Harbhajan delivered a standout performance earlier that year, taking 5 for 18 against CSK—the best bowling figures by any player at the Wankhede Stadium in the IPL. After falling out of favor with national selectors following injuries, he returned to competitive cricket to captain his team to glory before eventually moving to Chennai.

In Their Own Story

On 20 January 2021, Harbhajan announced the end of his contract with the Chennai Super Kings after spending three seasons there. His arrival in 2018 marked a significant shift following ten years with Mumbai Indians. During his time at CSK, he was part of a squad that included other former rivals, but the narrative of his career was defined by earlier triumphs. In the 2012 IPL, despite not being successful personally, he captained the team to the semi-finals. Prior to his time in India's top domestic leagues, he had a brief stint with Essex in England in July 2012, where he conceded 33 runs without taking a wicket against Gloucestershire. His transition from Mumbai to Chennai represented the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another, though his most impactful leadership moments remained tied to his captaincy of the Mumbai Indians in South Africa.

Reader's Guide

Harbhajan Singh's career is defined by resilience and adaptability across domestic and international formats. He made his first-class debut for Punjab in late 1997 against Services, taking 3/35 before being dropped and recalled after impressive figures of 5/75 and 7/44. His international journey began with a Test debut against Australia in Bangalore where he took 2/136 match figures. He later became a crucial part of India's World Cup winning teams in 2007 (T20) and 2011, as well as the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy. In domestic cricket, he was prolific early on; in his Under-16 debut against Haryana, he took 7/46 and 5/138. He also captained the Manipal Tigers to the Legends League Cricket title in 2023. His path included setbacks, such as being expelled from the National Cricket Academy for disciplinary reasons and struggling on tours to Australia where he took 0/141 against Tasmania.

Did You Know?

• Harbhajan was the only son of Sardar Sardev Singh Plaha, a freedom fighter who owned a ball bearing and valve factory.
• He took 7/46 and 5/138 in his Under-16 debut match against Haryana at age 15 years and 4 months.
• Harbhajan was expelled from the National Cricket Academy in mid-2000 on disciplinary grounds after failing to conform to requirements while training under Erapalli Prasanna and Srinivas Venkataraghavan.
• He led the Mumbai Indians to their first Champions League Twenty20 title, winning by 31 runs and earning the man-of-the-match award.
• In his debut match for Essex against Gloucestershire on 12 July 2012, he conceded 33 runs in 12 overs without taking a wicket.