A DSP who issues marching orders to the best of batsmen

By Vijay Lokapally

HARARE, JUNE 21. Ashish Nehra gives him a royal salute everytime he bags a wicket. ``DSP hai ji yey (he is a DSP),'' quips the Delhi seamer. Harbhajan Singh is already an acknowledged Deputy Superintendent of Police in the Indian cricket team. Even before he has got his appointment letter from the Punjab Government.

This DSP is different though. This one guns the best batsmen in business. Ricky Ponting should be getting nightmares thinking of Harbhajan and his guiles. For that matter, the Australians will not forget the off-spinner in a hurry.

Harbhajan has, since the home series against Australia, grown into a bowler with a big reputation to maintain. A bowler who is expected to win every match for India, taking five wickets in each innings.

Bishan Singh Bedi made a pertinent point when he said ``It'll get tougher for Harbhajan. He may bowl well and yet not get as many wickets.'' A view shared by Sunil Gavaskar and skipper Sourav Ganguly. The Indian skipper emphasised that after Nehra, it was Harbhajan who bowled the best.

Harbhajan had a task. He had to keep one end bottled up, dried of runs to enable the bowler at the other end to experiment. The off-spinner reaped just eight wickets in two Tests, average by the standards he has set for himself, but quite effective bowling considering the conditions which confronted this affable cricketer.

Unfriendly pitches meant Harbhajan had to make a few adjustments and he adapted himself quickly. The bounce was missing but bowling a tight line and length allowed him to maintain his domination. There were a few brief spells when he was given the stick, especially by Andy Flower, but it did not deter him from attacking.

``I don't like to bowl a defensive line. My job is to take wickets,'' said Harbhajan, reflecting on the two-Test series and looking forward to the triangular series.

Harbhajan was not able to extract much turn from the pitches and that required greater effort from him. ``It was hard. I had to put more body into my bowling because the bounce and the turn were not the same as I would have liked,'' Harbhajan said.

Rahul Dravid was of the opinion that Harbhajan bowled very well. ``He ensured one end was tight.'' Ganguly agreed ``Harbhajan rarely wavered in line and length.''

Good line and length. It was a point drilled into his mind and Harbhajan has taken care not to forget this golden rule. ``Every bowler knows the importance of good line and length. If I don't get wickets I ensure I don't give runs. It puts the pressure on the batsmen to score. I'm an attacking bowler and I'd like to be seen as an attacking bowler.''

`Batting is only a bonus'

``I've always enjoyed my batting. When playing the Ranji Trophy, I was always encouraged by Vikram (Rathour) paaji to try and bat well. He always encouraged me to play my shots. It came naturally and I've not worked hard on my batting at all,'' Harbhajan pointed out.

The team management is looking at Harbhajan as an all- rounder in the times to come and he too would like to be known as one but not at the cost of his bowling. ``I'm a bowler first and my primary job is to take wickets. If I score runs to help the team it'll make me happy. I want to contribute to help the team win,'' said Harbhajan.

Harbhajan has the potential to whack the ball hard, a quality that can come in handy in limited-overs cricket. What better stage than the forthcoming triangular series to test the youngster's batsmanship. He did play a few explosive shots during that innings at Bulawayo, inspiring the team to win the match.

How about Harbhajan as a pinch-hitter. He looks the best bet for this role and should be groomed for the next World Cup. If need be, he might be seen in this role in the next fortnight. What sets Harbhajan aside is the fact that he is keen to learn.

For a 21-year-old, Harbhajan is a very matured cricketer now. Three years of international cricket have taught him the positive and negative side of the game. And now he is on a firm wicket, what with a friend-cum-guru in Sachin Tendulkar.

A guru in Tendulkar

Tendulkar has taken it upon himself to guide Harbhajan. ``He teaches me a lot. Keeps reminding me of my potential and my responsibilities to the team and the nation,'' said Harbhajan, who idolises Tendulkar for his attitude and commitment to the game. ``Mark your path and follow it with honesty. We want to see you rise because you have the potential. Don't lose your focus at any cost,'' is the wisdom from Tendulkar that Harbhajan remembers the most.

The troubled past, when he was thrown out of the National Cricket Academy and spent time in the wilderness, has taught Harbhajan some useful lessons in life. He now has a tremendous attitude towards the game and is a transformed man even though he has not discarded his pranks which keep everyone around him in splits. The Indian team needs characters like Harbhajan.

It is a good sign for the team that Harbhajan wants to develop into a complete cricketer. One can be looked upon to change the course of the match with his immense potential. Harbhajan certainly has the calibre. Only it needs to be channelised under strict and expert supervision. John Wright is game. Ganguly is too.

Exciting times lie ahead for this exciting cricketer, who was so excited about watching the Total Solar Eclipse. The team had an early training schedule at the Country Club to witness the grand event in the afternoon.

(Caption: ECLIPSING THE STARS: Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag have a view of the total solar eclipse in Harare on Thursday. - Photo: V.V. Krishnan)

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