Harbhajan Singh, the veteran off-spinner will be donning Kolkata Knight Riders’ purple and gold jersey in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. After getting released by his previous franchise Chennai Super Kings, he was acquired by the Eoin Morgan-led side at the IPL 2021 Auction last month.
Though the veteran off-spinner is excited to join the KKR camp for IPL 2021, he also has a ‘small regret’ that his side won’t be playing any league games at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. As per the fixture announced by the IPL governing council, none of the franchises will be playing at their home grounds.
Harbhajan Singh Have Very Fond Memories From Iconic Eden Gardens
While speaking on the Star Sports network, Harbhajan Singh said that he would have been happier if he had got a game to play at the Eden Gardens which is a ‘special ground’ for him.
“I have very good memories from Eden – Test cricket, ODI cricket – whatever cricket I have played there, even the two titles we had won there for the Mumbai Indians. That is a special ground for me and there will be no cricket there, that small regret will be there but it is an opportunity for me as a player to just go out and be happy about playing cricket,” Harbhajan told Star Sports.
March 11 is a landmark day in Indian cricket history, as it was on this day back in 2001 that off-spinner Harbhajan Singh became the first Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in Test cricket in the iconic series against Australia. Exactly 20 years ago, Harbhajan Singh pulled off the feat during the second Test of the three-match series at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, making history.
Harbhajan Singh, who was just 20 back then, took the wickets of Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, and Shane Warne in three balls in Australia’s first innings to put the skids on their charge. India won that Test despite following on.
India and IPL veteran Harbhajan Singh found a Rs 2 crore bid from Kolkata Knight Riders in the second round. In a disappointing start to his chances at the auction, Harbhajan Singh found no takers for Rs 2 crore cap in the initial round of the auction. However, Kolkata Knight Riders sprang up a last-minute surprise as it added the 40-year-old into its armoury in the last round of action where select unsold players were called back.
Harbhajan Singh Looking Forward To IPL 2021
Harbhajan Singh, who only features in the IPL, is eager to be back on the field again. and feeling good that the tournament is taking place in India.
“Whether the match is in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai or Mumbai, I am feeling good that the IPL is happening in India and we are not going to Dubai or any other place because it is our festival and as a player, I am looking forward to it. IPL is a tournament that everyone waits for, whether it is the players or the spectators. For a player like me who only plays the IPL, the desire to play is going to get fulfilled,” he said.
“I am excited to be associated with a third big team, the speciality is I have been associated with the teams who have won the championship. Hopefully, I will go just out there and play the way I have played always and try and lift the cup for KKR,” he added.
Harbhajan Singh has exactly 150 scalps playing 160 matches. He had opted out of IPL 2020 and hopes to contribute to the newly acquired team’s cause even at 40 years of age. He is the 5th highest wicket-taker in IPL history after the likes of Lasith Malinga, Amit Mishra, Piyush Chawla, and Dwayne Bravo.