Former India offie Harbhajan Singh, who figured in the 2003-04 and 2007-08 Test series Down Under, slams Australia’s tactics and talk
Australia’s Pat Cummins is clean bowled by Ravindra Jadeja on Day Two of the third Test in Sydney in 2021. Pic/AFP
How would you compare the current Australian team with the ones you played against on the tours in 2003-04 and 2007-08?
It was a different team in those days. This Australian team never lost in Australia, but the current one does. That was a strong team in Australia, even when they were touring abroad. But this team is vulnerable.
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You always did well against Australia. How could you achieve that?
When situations like these used to come, you always had a point to prove to yourself that you were good enough to be around. It was always a challenge to do well against Australia. You will know your worth only by doing well against the better team. They were hard-fought battles with a lot of sledging, but I enjoyed those challenges. The more you are involved, the more you will do better.
Harbhajan Singh
People promote Australia as a team that play mind games. How did you counter that?
We are not planning a heist at that level. You still have to play cricket. What is a mind game? They will win 3-0 or 4-0, or India will beat them 4-0. If that is a mind game, then it is immature. Mind games are when they are constantly plotting and playing with minds.
How do you do that?
This is not chess; it is cricket. In the end, you have a bat and a ball. There’s no mind game. If they sledge you, you sledge them back. I have never felt someone play a mind game with me in my career, like saying something, but doing something else. That would be a mind game.
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How do you trap or tame an Australian batter?
Don’t give them a comfortable length to drive. As a fast bowler, you get excited by the bounce; the pitch has a good ‘carry’; the ’keeper constantly collects the ball at his chest height or above his waist. It’s easier for them to play that length. As a spinner, you must hit a length where the batters must come forward. On the backfoot, they always get more time to play the ball. The bowler has to adjust the length accordingly.
How do you expect India to perform well in the coming series after the disastrous show against New Zealand?
Their performance [against New Zealand] could have been better, but let me be very frank — those pitches did not reflect the right picture of Indian cricket. They will play well in Australia and may win the series. People say that in India, they have the advantage of having home conditions, but these are tailor-made conditions which anybody can take advantage of. Toss becomes crucial in situations where New Zealand played. India have been playing on pitches where results matter more than anything else.
What advice would you give the newcomers, especially the bowlers?
My only advice is to make the batter play on the front foot, whether you are a fast bowler or a spinner. Please don’t get excited about the bounce because the bounce will not get you the wicket; the correct length will get you the wicket.
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