When I Look Back I Have No Remorse, Gained More Than I Lost: Harbhajan Singh Cricket News – Times of India

New Delhi: Harbhajan Singh He felt bitter during the dark phase of his career in 2015-16 as he was repeatedly overlooked, but as he timed his 23-year illustrious cricket career, there was no room in his mind for regret, Even if he thought he could have found the time. Better.
In a freewheeling chat with PTI, he talks about his journey, the captains he played under, how Indian cricket can do with a little more empathy and also the infamous ‘Monkeygate’ and the emotional toll it has taken on him. talked to.

Part:
Do you feel like you announced your retirement a little late?
Well, I have to admit that the timing is not right. I’m late and there are no two ways about it (he last played for India in 2016). In general, I have been a very punctual person throughout my life, being (on) for the time being. Maybe, it’s a time, when I’m late. It’s just that I missed the timing while on the road. But believe me, I am punctual (Smiles.)
Has Indian cricket been fair to you over the years?
Look, life can always be seen through two different glasses. If I see where I started as a small town boy from Jalandhar and I had absolutely no idea about worldly matters, I can only count my blessings and thank the Almighty a thousand times I can give Still, it won’t be enough to show how grateful I am for cricket.

But then if I look at things from a different point of view, a thought may come to my mind that my cricket career may have a different end.
There is always a matter of “what if”, “what if” Maybe the cricket ground, maybe I would have retired earlier.
But then, no regrets because when I look back, what I got is much more than what I didn’t. There is no need to be bitter if I see where I started.

Do you have any regrets about the ‘Monkeygate’ scandal involving Andrew Symonds? Are you annoyed with how this turned out?
Obviously this was something that was not needed. Whatever happened in Sydney that day should not have happened and also what caused it. It was really unnecessary.
But forget who said what. You and I both know that truth has two sides. No one cared about my side of the truth throughout the episode. No one paid any attention to what I was doing in those few weeks and how mentally I was sinking.
I never explained my side of the story in detail but people will know about it in my upcoming autobiography. The phase I went through should not have happened to anyone.

You have 711 international wickets and 18 years between 1998 and 2016 with almost 800 days on the field. How do you sum up your trip?
Great. It has been a roller-coaster journey. Fluctuating load. But life is like that. Sea waves also have peaks and troughs, don’t they? Very blessed to have played for India for so long. If you have played 377 matches for India, it is not a bad number.
What if I was not an Indian cricketer? Where would I be and what would I have done with my life? Indian cricket gave me an identity. This is a forever loan and I will not be able to repay it. Whatever I am, I am because of an organization called Indian Cricket.
When I look back and see what kind of great players I have played with – Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, M S Dhoni, Zaheer Khan, And last but not least, what a privilege it was to have Anil Kumble’s bowling partner. An absolute legend who taught me a lot.

He took 32 wickets against Australia in the 2001 Test series, won the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup. Which is your favorite cricket moment?
For every cricketer, you need a performance after which people stand up and pay serious attention. 2001 vs Australia was my watershed moment. If there had not been 32 wickets and a hat-trick against a team of that strength, who would have spoken about me? I could have ended up being a footnote.
The Australia series made me exist. I am associated with existence. (This is intrinsic to my identity). It proved that I will not disappear after a series or two. It proved that I belong here.

Indian cricket was in trouble after the match-fixing scandal in 2000. People had lost faith in the game. To get him back in the stadium and make him love the game, you needed those 32 or 281 wickets of VVS. It was a change that Indian cricket needed. It was magical.
Did you personally talk to all your peers before announcing retirement?
Well, I spoke to BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, who made me the player I became. I told him about my decision. I also spoke to BCCI secretary Jay Shah and conveyed my decision to him. Both were very welcoming and wished me well. BCCI played a big role in my journey and I am indebted to them. I spoke to Akash Ambani, the owner of Mumbai Indians because franchises played a big role in my life. Everyone is very special to me, who has been a part of my journey. Some like Sachin paaji, Dada, VVS (Laxman), Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh), Veeru (Virender Sehwag), Ashu (Ashish Nehra) are like family.
You played most of your cricket under Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni. Tell us how you would compare to him as a leader of men?
This is a simple answer for me. Sourav Ganguly held me at that point in my career when I was a ‘no one’. But I was “somebody” when Dhoni became the captain. So you need to understand the big difference.

Dada knew I had talent but didn’t know whether I would deliver or not. In Dhoni’s case, he knew I had been there and did it. He knew that I had won matches before him and would win something for him as well.
In life and profession, you need that person who guides you at the right time and Sourav was that person for me. If Sourav had not fought for me and brought me into the team, then who knows, you would not have been interviewing me today. Sourav is the leader who made me who I am.
But yes, Dhoni was definitely a very good captain and he carried on Sourav’s legacy and together with Dhoni we fought some great battles which I will definitely cherish.
But coming back to the later stage of the 2011 England tour, where you had tears in your abdominal muscles and post that you hardly played a Test till 2016. Don’t you think you could have got more support both in the team and outside at that time. ,
There is no doubt that things could have been better. Where did I get enough chances after coming back from injury in 2011? It just kept going downwards. Before I realized it, I was thrown out of the scheme of things.
Yes, if someone at that time cared about me and how Indian cricket handled its players in a broader sense, maybe my career would have been different. But no regrets. Those who were about to make decisions did what they thought was right. That’s why I have nothing to say. Yes, I was bitter then but now that I look at things, there is no bitterness.