Harbhajan saves India’s blushes at Delhi India won the Delhi Test, but not without the usual contretemps. Chasing a modest 122 to win, Sourav Ganguly’s team threatened to make a hash of the run chase. An umpiring error from Asoka De Silva, which spared Harbhajan Singh when the latter was caught plumb in front, though, sounded the death knell for the Zimbabwean cause. The doughty Sardar showing great spirit, and batting in his inimitable fashion, knocked 14 off 17 balls, finishing the match with a glorious six over the bowler’s head. The visitors, especially left-arm spinner Ray Price and fast bowler Heath Streak, had earlier battled gloriously to bring their team to the brink of a famous series-levelling win. After Sachin Tendulkar (42) and Shiv Sunder Das (31) guided India to 93-3, the Zimbabwean duo led a fightback which saw the home team lose three wickets, including that of Tendulkar, for just 12 runs. But then Harbhajan Singh walked in and clinched a face-saving win for India. The off-spinner was deservedly named the Man of the Match while Anil Kumble walked away with the Man of the Series award.

Harbhajan: Every wicket is important Harbhajan Singh, who claimed 8-132 and scored 14 vital runs in the Indian second innings, ensured that the home team sealed the series whitewash at Delhi. He was deservedly named Man of the Match for his efforts. His six wickets in the Zimbabwean second innings left India with only a modest 122 to chase in the fourth innings of the match. Speaking to newsmen at the end of the fourth day’s play, Harbhajan said, “If you perform well for the team, you are obviously happy. I am happy because India wanted early wickets and I picked up four in no time. Every wicket is important and I enjoyed myself. It may not have been my best effort but if I can help in India winning the Test, I should have no grudges.” He also admitted that he enjoyed bowling with Anil Kumble. “Yes, he has so much experience. He would tell you about the batsman’s weaknesses. It’s easy to bowl when Anil bhai is bowling from the other end,” the premier Indian off-spinner said, while talking about the advantages of bowling with the experienced leggie. Other than scoring vital runs and taking important wickets, Harbhajan also held on to a difficult caught and bowled chance to dismiss Zimbabwean captain Stuart Carlisle. It took even the third umpire many replays before he could make his decision; what then were Harbahjan’s first reactions? “First I thought I had dropped it but when I fell, the ball remained in my hand all the time. I was sure I had caught it cleanly,” he said.

Bhajji only wanted to prove that he could bat It’s not every other day that an Indian batsman hits a six to finish off a Test match. The last time an Indian did it before the Kotla Test, was when Kapil Dev, some 16 years ago, hit the English spinner Phil Edmonds for a six to win the Lord’s Test for his side. So, when Harbhajan did a Kapil, smacking Heath Streak straight over the sight-screen, it was yet another minor historical moment at the Kotla. The ever-savvy Ravi Shastri, who was a member of Kapil's Indian team which toured England in 1986, told Harbhajan during the presentation ceremony, “Paaji, tussi taan kamaal kar ditta (Man, you did great)” A naughty Harbhajan was quick in furnishing an explanation, “I wanted to tell them I could bat.”

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