Harbhajan Singh: The Calm Before The Storm

Harbhajan Singh can and probably will shock you. What you see on TV is this eternally charged, sparingly sledging sport star with a temper. He is fierce and combative. Bhajji for the lack of other politically correct words makes people piss their guards, but then he never has been politically correct.

What you aren’t prepared though, is for what he says next, “I am a calm and composed person who doesn’t talk much.”

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What? Yeah and this issue is running late because we had to be in London for our Coronation. The Harbhajan we know doesn’t talk like that. He sledges, he plays pranks and sometimes he smacks fast bowlers right across the face.

“That fiery spirit is just for the game. I am a different person when I am playing sports and I am totally different when I am outside. I am a very calm and composed person and I don’t like to talk much. Yes, I am totally different from what I am on the field,” says Harbhajan.

“All the entertainment is left for the ground. To achieve something on the ground is special, you feel elated… All those emotions come out because you are playing for your country. It is what I am most passionate about,” he adds.

It takes us a while to swallow that without the burp. But if Mallika Sherawat can promise not to strip and Emraan Hashmi can declare not to kiss then why not Harbhajan? Right?

Then these may just be rhetoric’s meant to throw you off guard – who knows. So as we prod and nag and haggle the Turbanator and the good manners go out the window. We ask what if someone pokes his nose into his business and here comes the reply, “Jo mere se badtameezi karta hai uske saath me bohot bada badtameez ban jaata hoon. I play the game with a lot of passion and a lot of emotions are involved. I wouldn’t be the first one to start but if anyone says anything to me than of course he has to listen ten things for me. I am not one of those guys with whom you can getaway. Koi kuch zyada karega to use me game ke baad dekh loonga,” says Harbhajan. Now, that’s the Bhajji we love. Not as much as his audacious stroke play but still.

Harbhajan is on a great spell in 2010 not only with the ball (his bowled within the stumps and took 15 wickets in the three match series that ended in a draw) but with the bat as well (he scored century not once but twice when New Zealand toured India). Good work he aims to take forward in 2010.

“Well that is the way I have played my cricket for the last ten years. No captain has ever told me what I should do or what I should not be doing. We are all mature enough to know what requires at that particular moment. No one should overdo it. I try to control myself and not over do,” Harbhajan says.

The 30-year-old spinner has been around for more than a decade and is the senior most bowler in our 2011 WC squad. He is sometimes blamed for bastardising the fine art of spinning but some believe that Harbhajan’s loopless concoction has indeed changed the rules of the game for generations to come – so which one is true?

“I want to take the responsibility and be in control of the situation. When I am bowling I look to take wickets. I have worked really hard on my batting and I am glad my hard work is paying me off. I hope I will contribute to world cup. I bat at number eight so there aren’t too many chances to bat but the times they are, they are crucial overs and I want to contribute,” he says.

While others may be phoning in WC sickies, our rockstar cricketer says it’s a good sign, “I don’t know what is fear. I just fear almighty. Humans are no one to be feared of, because they can’t make or break things. “

“It’s a great sign that it is happening in India. Everyone knows that we are a great team and our records speak for ourselves. It has always been a dream to hold that world cup after 83 and I am positive that we will do it this time by playing good cricket,” he says.

Yeah of course we are one of the favourites (our editor doesn’t buy that though). The biggest betting houses in the world are backing us but Harbhajan is as cautious as a serpent.

“Every opponent is big. Every game is important and we can’t judge anyone as underdogs. Last time Bangladesh kicked us out of the world cup. But no treat is a threat, it is that day you play well you are the hero. Every team playing the world cup is coming well prepared,” he says.

We did read somewhere that Harbhajan is a deadly combo of Javed Miandad's street-smartness and Sourav Ganguly's audacity. We just wish other teams don’t read that.

From the March 2011 issue of FHM India.