Adelaide, Jan 25 (IANS) Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh missed a golden opportunity to score his first Test century and got “royal scolding” from Sachin Tendulkar for getting out on 63 on the second day of the fourth and final Test against Australia here Friday.
“I got a royal scolding from Sachin. He told me ‘Sardaron wala kaam kiya hai’ (You have acted like Sardars),” he said and laughed while speaking to reporters after the day’s play.
Harbhajan, whose career highest score is 66, admitted he should have aimed for a century.
“It was an opportunity missed. In Sydney, I got out on a good ball, but here I am the one who is responsible for my dismissal. People learn from their mistakes. Hopefully, I’ll play good when my team will need it,” he said.
Harbhajan (63, 103 balls, 7x4s) and captain Anil Kumble (87, 205 balls, 9x4s) defied the Australian bowling attack for 35 overs to score 107 precious runs for the eighth wicket to help India to 526 in their first innings at the Adelaide Oval.
It was Harbhajan’s second half century of the series. A beaming Harbhajan said that he felt confident while batting in the company of Kumble.
“Every bowler also works on his batting. After scoring [runs] in Sydney, I had the confidence with the bat. I was playing the shots, though I got lucky in the beginning,” he said, referring to the reprieves he got.
On his partnership with Kumble, Harbhajan said: “We looked to bat as long as we can. Our first target was to get to the 400-run mark, then 450. I kept telling Kumble that you keep on playing, runs will come automatically.”
The pitch, according to Harbhajan, was good and should help the bowlers.
“It is a slow sort of a wicket. We have got two left arm seamers, so we will look to take the wickets, like Mitchell Johnson did for Australia today. As the game moves on and more balls are bowled, hopefully more spots will be created,” he said.
“It is a good wicket, so if we bowl at the right areas and take our catches then we have a good chance to win the match. I will try to bowl round the wicket tomorrow,” he said, probably in an attempt to take advantage of the rough created by bowlers.
During his knock, Harbhajan, while taking a single, collided with speedster Stuart Clark. But unlike the controversial second Test in Sydney, there was no confrontation this time around.
“The same happened with [Brett] Lee in the Sydney. I had said ‘good ball’, but it all started into something else,” said Harbhajan.
The off-spinner also said he is under no pressure from the impending disciplinary hearing into the racial abuse allegation against him.
“I have no effect on me because of the hearing. My job is to play cricket. I play tough cricket. People are there to take care of the hearing. Tomorrow is a crucial day for me. I want to relax and bowl tomorrow,” he said.
The hearing will take place after this Test match.