Harbhajan hits back at Aussies

Published November 10, 2004

MUMBAI, Nov 9: India's ace off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is livid over all the talk about Wankhede track and whining by Australians ever since they lost fourth and final cricket Test in Mumbai.

"I wonder if they had still whined if Australia, and not India, had won Mumbai Test," Harbhajan said who helped skittle out Australia for only 93 runs last week and script a 13-run win for India.

With track continuing to draw flak from past and present Australian cricketers, including captain Ricky Ponting and former batsman Mark Waugh, Harbhajan says enough is enough.

"When we go to Australia, we never complain about Perth pitch. Or if we are in England, we don't cry from rooftop about grassy and seaming conditions. So why now this outcry?" he retorted.

Harbhajan, who took 21 wickets from three Tests in the series, including match-winning 5 for 29 as Australians failed to chase a meagre 107 for win, said Mumbai has always provided a pitch where ball grips surface and offers bounce.

"It has always been case in Mumbai. Why, I remember when we played a one-dayer against Australia on their last visit in 2001, we couldn't chase 240 batting second because it spun big-time. We never complained about quality of pitch then."

He believes Australians did not have right defensive technique and judicious selection of strokes to bat in last innings of match.

"Indeed, I would say Jason Gillespie showed marvellous defensive technique and had begun to frustrate us. I would say his methods were far better than some of top order Australian batsmen."

He said his point was best illustrated by way Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman batted on third morning, playing with tremendous common sense and choosing right ball to strike.

He also took exception to Mark Waugh's column where he criticised Sourav Ganguly and said Indians would struggle to win Tests abroad with such an attitude.

"Really? I thought it was Australians who were complaining about Mumbai pitch. It is they who need to get on with the game.

"Incidentally, let me remind him we have not won matches only at home in last few years. We beat West Indies in West Indies, England in England, Pakistan in Pakistan, Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka and even Australia in Australia. I don't think we won there because we had friendly curators." - PPI

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