Knowing Harbhajan, He Will Spend His 37th Birthday With His Family
Knowing Harbhajan, there won’t be any page three party or gatherings on his 37th birthday.
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Any idea what Harbhajan Singh will be doing on his 37th birthday? Knowing the man and the state of mind he’s in, Bhajji would be making the most of his life with wife Geeta Basra and their toddler Hinaya Heer.
During the Champions Trophy recently, I had an opportunity to spend some time with Harbhajan and his family. I was in London and a day before the coveted final, Harbhajan invited me to his place for some coffee and gupshap.
Harbhajan was in England for multiple assignments; he was representing the ICC Champions Trophy as their brand ambassador, working with Nissan and was the cricket expert for a few TV channels.
On a rather hot summer day in London, he came after a long tiring TV session. It was the preview day of the India-Pakistan final and the channel was all geared up to make the most of their guest.
On and off we kept talking about his cricket. And the best thing to come out of these discussions was how he's absolutely in peace with himself.
Someone who was known to be short-tempered and a symbol of the young arrogance of Indian cricket, someone who was nurtured by his captain Sourav Ganguly to be a fireband cricketer who never took a step back on and off the field, was almost a perfect baby sitter.
Completely in command of this little angel, I witnessed him making milk for her and changing her clothes with absolute ease.
It seemed like life has taken a complete circle for Harbhajan Singh. From success to failures, from triumphs to trials, from accolades to bans, this man has seen it all. And today he’s in a space where he is extremely proud of his achievements and contributions to Indian cricket.
It doesn’t bother him if the outside world may perceive him as being frustrated and annoyed over his exit from the Indian team.
In between, he's been in the news for his tweets here and there, expressing his views, sometimes blunt, sometimes emotional, sometimes animated and sometimes candid. But in the end, it’s all very typical Harbhajan.
Ask him about his cricket and he would say, “I don’t feel frustrated at all and don’t put too much pressure on myself. I will do my best and enjoy my cricket. If it has to happen it will happen. Never say never is my motto.”
The answer truly reflects his maturity and speaks volumes about his 19-year-long cricket career he has spent in and around international cricket.
Starting as a brash youngster loaded with talent exploding into international cricket around 19 years back, Harbhajan has possibly achieved more or less everything he could have with the ball in his hand.
In modern day cricket, he can safely be termed as one of the most comprehensive off-spinners, who has left his mark in all the three formats of the game.
Let’s be honest, the cricket world is not easy for spinners today where boundaries have shortened, bats have gone wider and wickets have gone flatter.
One still remembers those days when a 13-year-old Harbhajan hailing from a small town in Jalandhar, entered the SAI’s Pace Bowlers Academy in Chandigarh Sector 16.
Sometimes homesickness was all over him. To top it all, his technique was always under scrutiny. Some of the great coaches of that time didn’t deem it fit and were so eager to change his action – the same action that gave him that extra bounce and nip off the pitch.
Thankfully, he believed in himself and returned to Jalandhar, only to emerge better and stronger. In three years’ time, he was the next big cricketing sensation landing straight from Punjab.
One fine day, in the nets of Indian team, Harbhajan was specially asked to bowl to the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, and within no time, he was playing for the country.
The issue with his action again cropped up, followed by his father’s death and the disciplinary action against him in the NCA, as he opposed the food given to them. In between, Ganguly and then coach John Wright met him and against the selectors’ wish, brought him back for the famous India-Australia series of 2001.
After taking 32 wickets in the series, Harbhajan never looked back.
For the outside world he was the aggressive and feisty Sardar, but for his family and friends, he was the same old Bhajji, who loves a good laugh with simple pleasures of life.
Punjabi Sufi and folk music can be the cherry on the top. Despite seeing the entire world, he would still like to go back to his own city Jalandhar, to be with his family and friends.
This very man who has 25 five-wicket hauls, has stumped me as well with a single comment. In 2009 we attended his fifth and last sister’s wedding. Since his father’s death in 2000, Harbhajan had taken charge of the situation like a father-figure.
He looked at me and said:
The sense of relief, accomplishment and satisfaction that was oozing from his words can easily be compared to any world cup win.
Somehow, that line stayed with me and reminded me what Harbhajan actually is – a passionate cricketer by profession and a committed family man to the core.
So knowing Harbhajan, there won’t be any page three party or gatherings on his 37th birthday. He would be quietly doing what he does best now these days: Living every moment with his daughter. Happy birthday Turbanator!
(Nishant Arora is an award-winning cricket journalist, and most recently, the media manager of the Indian Cricket Team. He also co-authored the best-selling book on Yuvraj Singh’s battle with cancer.)
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