Harbhajan Singh and Javagal Srinath among 18 new Honorary Life Members of MCC

The Indian duo of Harbhajan Singh and Javagal Srinath were among the 18 cricketers to be awarded the Honorary Life Membership by the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) earlier today.

"MCC awards Honorary Life Membership of the Club to some of the world’s finest cricketers. We are delighted to announce the names of the latest men and women to have been bestowed with this privilege" the official statement read. 

Harbhajan Singh has been one of the most successful off-spinners of the game with over 700 International wickets. He became the first Indian to take a hat-trick in Test Cricket and only the second Indian overall after Chetan Sharma. When the player was at the peak of his prowess, he was a player to reckon with.

Javagal Srinath during his playing days was the lone knight in the shining armour for India. He kept toiling hard with little to no support from the other end especially on tours overseas. He bagged 236 Test wickets and 315 one day international wickets and was India’s best pace bowler during the 90s.

Four South African legends among those awarded Honorary Life Membership

The other 16 members to receive the award saw four South Africans. Proteas’ second-highest Test run-scorer Hashim Amla, Herschelle Gibbs the first to hit six sixes in an ODI and World Cup, Jacques Kallis, the only of the two all-rounders to make 12,000 international runs and take 500 wickets and Morne Morkel, one of their primary pacers of the last decade. The list also includes Englands' Sir Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Marcus Trescothick and female cricketer Sarah Taylor. Australia's Damien Martyn and Alex Blackwell while Ian Bishop, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan from the West Indies too made it to the list. 

Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath, Zimbabwe's Grant Flower and New Zealand's Sara McGlashan too were a part of the 18 member list. Speaking on the occasion Guy Lavender, the Chief Executive & Secretary of the Marylebone Cricket Club said, "We are absolutely thrilled to be able to welcome our newest Honorary Life Members of MCC. The cricketers announced today are among the greatest international players of their generation. We are privileged to now count them as valued members of our club."

(Image: Facebook/@Harbhajan Singh/@Javagal Srinath)