Harbhajan Singh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Harbhajan Singh
Singh in 2015
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
Incumbent
Assumed office 9 April 2022
Preceded by	Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa
Constituency	Punjab
Personal details
Born	(1980-07-03) 3 July 1980 (age 45) Jalandhar, Punjab, India
Political party	Aam Aadmi Party
Spouse	Geeta Basra ​ (m. 2015)​
Children	2
Residence	32, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, Delhi
Occupation	Cricketer commentator actor politician
Cricket information Batting Right-handed Bowling Right-arm off-spin Role Bowler International information National side India (1998–2016) Test debut (cap 220) 25 March 1998 v Australia Last Test 12 August 2015 v Sri Lanka ODI debut (cap 113) 17 April 1998 v New Zealand Last ODI 25 October 2015 v South Africa ODI shirt no. 3 T20I debut (cap 3) 1 December 2006 v South Africa Last T20I 4 March 2016 v UAE T20I shirt no. 3 Domestic team information Years Team 1997/98–2018/19 Punjab 2005–2007 Surrey 2008–2017 Mumbai Indians (squad no. 3) 2012 Essex 2018–2020 Chennai Super Kings (squad no. 27) 2021 Kolkata Knight Riders (squad no. 27) Career statistics Competition Test ODI T20I FC Matches 103 236 28 198 Runs scored 2,224 1,237 108 4,255 Batting average 18.23 13.30 13.50 19.16 100s/50s 2/9 0/0 0/0 2/15 Top score 115 49 21 115 Balls bowled 28,580 12,479 612 48,055 Wickets 417 269 25 780 Bowling average 32.46 33.35 25.32 29.04 5 wickets in innings 25 3 0 41 10 wickets in match 5 0 0 8 Best bowling 8/84 5/31 4/12 8/84 Catches/stumpings 42/– 71/– 7/– 100/– Medal record Men's cricket Representing  India ICC Cricket World Cup Runner-up 2003 South Africa-Zimbabwe-Kenya Winner 2011 India-Bangladesh-Sri Lanka ICC Champions Trophy Winner 2002 Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Winner 2007 South Africa Asia Cup Runner-up 2004 Sri Lanka Winner 2010 Sri Lanka Winner 2016 Bangladesh Source: ESPNcricinfo, 17 April 2019

Harbhajan Singh (born 3 July 1980), often called Bhajji, is a famous former Indian cricketer. He was a talented off spin bowler who played for India from 1998 to 2016. Harbhajan was a key player in India's victories at the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 Cricket World Cup. He also helped India win the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy (shared with Sri Lanka).

Besides his amazing cricket career, Harbhajan is also a politician. He serves as a Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha, which is part of India's government. He has also worked as a cricket commentator, actor, and television personality.

Early Life and Family

Harbhajan Singh grew up in a Sikh family. He is the only son of Sardar Sardev Singh Plaha. His father owned a factory and wanted Harbhajan to focus on cricket. Harbhajan has five sisters.

He first trained as a batsman with coach Charanjit Singh Bhullar. After his coach passed away, Harbhajan switched to spin bowling. He then trained with Davinder Arora, who said Harbhajan worked very hard. He would train for three hours in the morning and then again in the afternoon.

After his father's death in 2000, Harbhajan became the head of his family. He helped arrange marriages for three of his sisters. Harbhajan married actress Geeta Basra on 29 October 2015. They have two children: a daughter born in 2016 and a son born in 2021.

Harbhajan is known by a few nicknames. Outside India, he was sometimes called The Turbanator. This name came from his skill in ending the opposing team's batting and because he always wore a patka (a type of turban) while playing. In India, he is more commonly known as Bhajji.

Cricket Career Highlights

Harbhajan started playing cricket at a young age. He played for Punjab Under-16s when he was just 15. He quickly showed his talent, taking many wickets in his early matches.

Domestic Cricket Journey

Harbhajan made his first-class debut in 1997 for Punjab. He played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for several teams. He was with the Mumbai Indians from 2008 to 2017. He then played for Chennai Super Kings (2018–2020) and Kolkata Knight Riders (2021).

In 2011, Harbhajan helped the Mumbai Indians win their first championship. He was named man-of-the-match in the 2011 Champions League Twenty20 final. He also played for English county teams like Surrey and Essex. More recently, he captained the Manipal Tigers to win the 2023 Legends League Cricket title.

International Debut and Early Challenges

Harbhajan made his Test debut for India in 1998 against Australia. Soon after, he played his first One Day International (ODI) against New Zealand. His early international career was a bit tough. He struggled to take many wickets and was sometimes left out of the team.

After his father passed away, Harbhajan even thought about quitting cricket. But he kept working hard and got another chance.

The 2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Harbhajan's career changed dramatically in March 2001. He was chosen to lead India's spin attack against Australia. Australia was a very strong team, having won 16 Test matches in a row.

In the Second Test in Kolkata, Harbhajan made history. He took a Test hat-trick, dismissing three batsmen in a row. This was the first time an Indian player had achieved this in Test cricket. He finished that match with 13 wickets, helping India win after being forced to follow-on. This was a huge victory and ended Australia's winning streak.

In the deciding Third Test in Chennai, Harbhajan continued his amazing performance. He took 15 wickets in the match, including 8 wickets in one innings. India won the series, and Harbhajan was named both man of the match and man of the series. He took 32 wickets in the series, which was incredible.

Harbhajan practice-bowling in the nets

Later International Career

After his success against Australia, Harbhajan became India's main spinner. He played in the 2003 Cricket World Cup, where India reached the final. He continued to play well in ODIs, taking his first five-wicket haul in this format in 2002.

He faced a finger injury in 2003, which affected his performance. However, he made a strong comeback in 2004 against Australia, taking 21 wickets in the series. He also helped India win a series against South Africa in 2004, taking 13 wickets.

In 2006, Harbhajan had a tough time in Test matches, especially during a tour of Pakistan. But his ODI form remained strong. He took 5 wickets for 31 runs against England in 2006, helping India win.

World Cup Victories

Harbhajan was a key part of the Indian team that won the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007. India was not expected to win, but they surprised everyone. Harbhajan played an important role in the semi-final against Australia.

He was also part of the team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup on home soil. This was a huge achievement for Indian cricket.

Batting Contributions

While primarily a bowler, Harbhajan also improved his batting over the years. He scored two centuries in Test matches. In November 2010, he scored his first Test century against New Zealand, hitting 115 runs. He followed this with another century in the very next Test, becoming the first number-8 batsman to score back-to-back Test centuries.

Harbhajan bowling during India's two-match Test series against Australia in October 2010

Final Years in International Cricket

After 2011, Harbhajan faced some injuries and was in and out of the national team. He was recalled to the Test team in 2015 and played some ODI and T20I matches. He was part of the squad for the 2016 T20 World Cup but did not play any matches.

Playing Style and Records

Harbhajan was known for his attacking style as an off-spin bowler. He had great control over the ball and could change its speed and length. His main wicket-taking ball would often surprise batsmen.

He also learned to bowl the doosra, a special delivery that spins the opposite way. He is the third-highest wicket-taker among off-spinners in Test history. He is also the third-highest Test wicket-taker among all Indian players.

Harbhajan was very effective when playing in India. He often took many wickets at famous grounds like Eden Gardens and Chepauk. He was especially successful against Australian batsman Ricky Ponting, dismissing him ten times in Test matches.

Anil Kumble (pictured), Harbhajan's former Test captain and long-time bowling partner

Ricky Ponting (pictured) has been dismissed by Harbhajan ten times in Tests.

Harbhajan was known for his energetic and expressive celebrations on the field. He often bowled alongside Anil Kumble, another great Indian spinner. They worked well together to put pressure on opposing batsmen.

Political Career

In March 2022, Harbhajan Singh entered the world of politics. He was chosen by the Aam Aadmi Party to represent the state of Punjab in the Rajya Sabha. He won without opposition and officially became a Member of Parliament.

On 18 July 2022, Harbhajan took his oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha. This marked a new chapter in his public life, serving his country in a different way.

Film and Television Appearances

Harbhajan Singh has also appeared in films and on television.

Films

Television

Images for kids

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  Singh with wife Geeta Basra at Rakesh Roshan's birthday bash in 2017

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  Harbhajan with India in 2006