During his IPL career, Harbhajan showcased his batting prowess alongside his bowling skills
Born on July 3 in Jalandhar, Punjab, Harbhajan Singh Plaha was one of the most fearless bowlers India has ever produced, polished under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly at the beginning of this century. Singh had a fruitful career and retired as one of the off-spinners, having won the ICC T20 and 50-over World Cup in 2007 and 2011, respectively.
As he turns 44 today, we have compiled some lesser-known facts about Bhajji to celebrate this special day with his fans.
Harbhajan's nickname 'Bhajji' has a charming origin rooted in camaraderie and encouragement from his former teammate, Nayan Mongia. During matches, Mongia, finding it more accessible to shout "Bhajji" rather than the full name, began using this affectionate moniker to cheer on the off-spinner from behind the stumps. This nickname stuck and became a beloved term not only among teammates but also among fans worldwide. In a testament to the nickname's enduring popularity and significance, Harbhajan even named his sports company after it, patenting it in 2009.
Harbhajan Singh celebrating a wicket during a test match
In 2002, then-Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal extended Harbhajan a significant opportunity to serve as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the Punjab police force. This offer stemmed from Harbhajan's exceptional cricket performance, where he took 32 wickets across three Test matches. On March 11, 2001, during the second Test match against Australia at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Harbhajan created history as the first Indian cricketer to accomplish a hat-trick in Test cricket. Despite the honour and opportunity, Harbhajan declined the DSP position.
Credit: Asianet newsable
Harbhajan Singh and his fellow Indian cricket team in the movie 'Mujshe Shaadi Karoge'
The former spinner has been featured in four movies across different languages. In 2004, he debuted in a Bollywood film named ‘Mujhse Shaadi Karogi’ starring Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar. Harbhajan continued his cinematic journey by appearing in the Punjabi film ‘Bha Ji in Problem’ in 2013. He expanded his acting portfolio with the Hindi film ‘Second-hand Husband’ in 2015. Most recently, in 2021, he ventured into Tamil cinema with the movie ‘Friendship’.
Harbhajan had a prolific IPL career spanning three franchises: Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders. He played 163 IPL matches, securing 150 wickets with an economy rate of 7.11. Mumbai Indians signed him for the inaugural IPL season, where he initially led the team due to Sachin Tendulkar's absence in early matches. However, they lost their debut match to Royal Challengers Bangalore. Harbhajan made his IPL debut against the same team in 2008, scoring two runs and taking two wickets. In his final IPL appearance for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore 13 years later, he scored two runs again but remained wicketless.
Credit Circle of cricket
Harbhajan Singh smashed 64 runs off 24 balls against Punjab Kings
During his IPL career, Harbhajan showcased his batting prowess and bowling skills. Representing three IPL teams, he amassed a total of 833 runs. Notably, for Mumbai Indians, he played a memorable innings in IPL 2015 against Punjab Kings, where he forged the highest 7th-wicket partnership in the league's history with J. Suchith. Mumbai Indians struggled at 59/6 while chasing 178 runs when Harbhajan and Suchith came together. Harbhajan delivered an explosive innings, smashing 64 runs off only 24 balls, which included five fours and six sixes. Despite his heroic effort, Mumbai Indians fell short by 18 runs. Their partnership of 100 runs remains the highest 7th-wicket stand in IPL history, highlighting Harbhajan's ability to contribute effectively with the bat in crucial situations.
