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Rediff.com  » Cricket » 'Harbhajan Singh and I are two different kind of bowlers'

'Harbhajan Singh and I are two different kind of bowlers'

June 10, 2015 22:15 IST
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The Indian team during a practice session. Photograph: PTI

Ravichandran Ashwin has defended the much hyped in-house rivalry between him and comeback-man Harbhajan Singh.

The off-spinner said that they are two off-spinners with different strengths and weaknesses.

"I will bowl the ball there and it's as simple as that. You can't really complicate things. There is nothing to be complicated about as I see it. Two different kind of off-spinners to be honest. He is going to add a lot of value, he has come with a lot of experience and that's going to bring a different dimension to the whole team and set-up. 

"But having said that I go about my game very simply, I bowl the ball there and try and do the best I can. We are different kind of bowlers.

"We bowl at different speeds, we have different strengths and different weaknesses. So we will try and compliment each other and try and bowl with a particular plan that each one carries into the game," he said. 

'Unfortunately Pujara had to sit out for this match'

India's Cheteshwar Pujara (left) speaks to teammate Virat Kohli during a training session. Photograph: Morne de Klerk/Getty Images

The bowler also talked about being dynamic as a team, rather than think about what could happen. 

"See as I said it's very important to look to control what we can. Turn up tomorrow and see what the weather has to offer. As the game opens up and pans out we will have to take a call from there. It's about being dynamic. We can't really look to say we will score 400 or whatever it is and say tomorrow it rains off. It's about being dynamic and trying and choosing on where the weather leads you," he said. 

The Chennai-born player also defended the team's think-tank for leaving out the talented Cheteshwar Pujara from the playing XI.

"At the end of the day you have got to leave four people out from a 15-man squad. I have been left out in the past. Different people have been left out at different times. So it's not really that you actually look out for sympathy and say oh my God that guy is going to sit out. That's not how the game goes.

"I am not trying to be harsh but I am speaking the truth. Reality is hard and unfortunately today Pujara had to sit out and tomorrow he might play. The scenarios are not that simple. If you have got to play five bowlers, you have to sacrifice the batsman, it's as simple as that," he said.

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