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Updated January 2nd, 2020 at 20:42 IST

Sourav Ganguly labels Harbhajan's iconic 2001 spell against Aus as 'love at first sight'

Sourav Ganguly recollected ace spinner Harbhajan Singh's heroics in an exciting Test match between India and Australia which the hosts won in Kolkata in 2001

Reported by: Jitesh Vachhatani
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BCCI President and former India skipper, Sourav Ganguly recollected ace spinner Harbhajan Singh's heroics in an exciting Test match between India and Australia in Kolkata back in 2001. The match that had it all, right from Australian pacers dominance to Indian batsmen's gritty fightback is remembered for VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid's 376 run stand. However, Harbhajan Singh shone in the second innings as he scalped six wickets to help India emerge victorious. 

'I am not surprised at all'

Speaking at a recent news channel event, Ganguly said, "When I saw Harbhajan bowl at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, picking up 14 wickets it was love at first sight with a cricketer who I believed would go on to change things for Indian cricket and 800 wickets after that, I am not surprised at all."

The BCCI President added that Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble were the two best spinners India has ever had when it came to picking wickets and having an impact on the game.

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Kumble who had to miss the Australia series in 2001 due to injury forced Ganguly to try out the options at his disposal. At the event, Ganguly recollected that since Harbhajan Singh was a new player to the team, he played three different spinners in three matches including Rahul Sanghvi, Venkatapathy Raju and Neelesh Kulkarni and despite that his only wicket-taking option was Harbhajan Singh because Kumble was injured. 

"Harbhajan Singh was a new commodity. I played 3 different spinners in 3 different Test matches. 1st one was Rahul Sanghvi, 2nd was Venkatapathy Raju, 3rd one was Neelesh Kulkarni. And my only wicket-taker was Harbhajan Singh because Anil Kumble was injured," he said.

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The iconic 2001 Test at Eden

Batting first, Australia got off to a flyer as they posted a mammoth total of 445 courtsey of Mathew Hayden and a brilliant century by skipper Steve Waugh. In response, India were bundled for a mere 171 as Glenn McGrath wreaked carnage and scalped four wickets for the Aussies and subsequently enforced the follow-on. The Indians came back stronger in the second innings as VVS Laxman stitched significant partnership of 376 runs with Rahul Dravid. 

Laxman went on to score match-winning knock of 281 runs and Dravid, on the other hand, scored significant 180 runs. Setting a target of 384 runs for the Aussies in the second innings, the Indians came out to ball with determination to win the match. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh spun the Aussies as he scalped six wickets giving away just 73 runs and helping India win by 171 runs.

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Published January 2nd, 2020 at 20:42 IST

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