Harbhajan Singh 'Ready' To Play T20s For India

Harbhajan Singh has aged like a fine wine. Once the flag-bearer of Indian spin bowling, the veteran is still eyeing to make a return for the national team, after having played his last international match in 2016. Away from the international circuit, Harbhajan Singh has plied his trade for two most successful teams in the IPL – Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) – and continues to be a regular in the lucrative tournament.

Nearing his 40s, Harbhajan Singh has never spoken about retirement, but the bright-eyed turbanator still has the thoughts of India comeback on his mind. He has played 160 matches in the IPL, picking up 150 wickets at an average of 26.44, with the best bowling figures of five for 18. He has picked up seven wickets in his last five IPL appearances for CSK.

Harbhajan Singh: I’m ready, if I can bowl well in IPL, can do well in international cricket

IPL has been a platform where young talents have shown their calibre and earned a national cap. As for Harbhajan Singh, he looks at the platform, which encourages his comeback. He believes playing in the IPL and challenging some of the top players is similar to playing international cricket. And if he can deliver in IPL, he can do it for the national team as well.

“I’m ready,” Singh told ESPNcricinfo.

“If I can bowl well in IPL, which is a very difficult tournament for bowlers because the grounds are smaller, and all the top players in world cricket play in the IPL…it is very challenging to bowl against them and if you can do well against them in IPL, you can do well in international cricket. I have bowled predominantly in the powerplay and middle overs and got wickets.”

Singh, 39, has picked up 417 Test wickets and 269 in ODIs for India.