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Rediff.com  » Sports » Pakistan used first 15 overs better: Harbhajan

Pakistan used first 15 overs better: Harbhajan

Source: PTI
April 22, 2005 19:45 IST
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Star spinner Harbhajan Singh, whose bowling action came under the scanner for the second time in four months during the recent India-Pakistan Test series, said he had full faith that the Board of Control for Cricket in India would take up the issue with ICC to resolve it once and for all.

"BCCI has already written a letter to the ICC raising objection on my undergoing one more test to clear myself from the allegations, as a similar kind of test has already been conducted on me in Australia," Harbhajan said.

The off-spinner was reported for a suspect bowling action for his 'doosra', a delivery that spins away from a right-handed batsman, after the second Test between India and Pakistan at Kolkata.

He was earlier reported in the second Test against Bangladesh in December but was cleared by the ICC after tests in Australia.

Regarding the six-ODI ban on skipper Sourav Ganguly for India's slow over rate against Pakistan in the Ahmedabad tie, Harbhajan said it was an "injustice" to him since the captain was not alone responsible for it.

Harbhajan refused to believe that Ganguly's below par performances were due to the public criticism.

"A player never comes under pressure due to anybody's comments. On TV channels, people are paid to say something and they have to say to increase the viewership.

"Of-course Sourav was under pressure but not due to any criticism, but because of his own performance in some of the recent matches in which he could not score too many runs ," Harbhajan said, adding as far as the views of cricket fans were concerned, it kept changing from time to time.

Harbhajan conceded that India did not play well in the one-day series against Pakistan which the visitors won 4-2.

"We did not play well. It is always easy to put out one or another reason to save face but the plain fact is that we did not play to our potential," he said.

He said the performance of the Pakistanis in the first 15 overs in the one-dayers made the difference in the series.

"Pakistan batsmen played very well in the first 15 over and took maximum advantage of the restricted field whereas our batsmen failed to do that."

Despite the loss to Pakistan, Harbhajan backed the team to do well in the coming season.

"As far as the team is concerned, it is the best team which had already proved its mettle in the last few years," he said.

"After tasting defeat in the one-day series, we will work hard and win back the confidence well before the Sri Lanka tour in coming July." 

The off-spinner also urged fans to have faith in the team which, he said, was determined to bounce back.

"We will bring back the glory soon. Instead of indulging in leg pulling, they should encourage the team by extending their best wishes."

On John Wright, who stepped down as India's coach immediately after the Pakistan series, Harbhajan said the New Zealander did a "marvelous" job in the last four years.

"I wish the the BCCI would engage someone like Wright as the next coach so that he can help us improve our performance through his able guidance."

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