Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh believes he has played a part in damaging the confidence of Matthew Hayden, who is struggling to regain form, but is now keen to watch the Australian opener in full flight -- against other teams.
"We had very good plans against him, about where to place our fielders and how to bowl to him. We were successful, but I do miss watching him bat now," Harbhajan was quoted as saying by The Sydney Morning Herald on Friday.
The spinner, who has been a nemesis for Australian teams, said he had learnt how to tackle Hayden during Australia's tour in 2001.
"He is a stroke-player, and we tried to take away his boundary shots. I bowled to him a lot of the time. We all learnt our lesson from his last tour to India.
"But now I am disappointed because he is one of the best batsmen I have ever bowled to, and you love watching someone like that in good form - when it's not against you," he said.
"I am disappointed because I love watching him against other teams, with his body language and the way he bats, and I hope he finds his form again soon," said the bowler, popularly known as the 'Turbanator'.
Harbhajan dismissed Hayden thrice during the last tour in which the opener managed just 244 runs at an average of 30.5 in four Tests last year. On his previous visit to India in 2001, Hayden scored 549 at 109.8, and during India's tour of Australia in 2003-04, he amassed 451 runs at 64.4.
According to the report, Hayden believed India's stifling tactics late last year triggered his batting woes and since then he has averaged just 37.14 in five Tests against New Zealand and Pakistan and scoring 6, 27, 3 and 6 in one-day matches against Pakistan and West Indies.
"Maybe those teams watched us and have their own plans against him now," Harbhajan said.
"Now maybe everyone knows where to bowl to him. But at the end of the day, he is a great player and I hope he comes out of this stronger. I would like to watch him score over 350 again in a Test - just not against us."
