HARBHAJAN SINGH -----SPIN KING......

Full name Harbhajan Singh

Born July 3, 1980, Jullundur (now Jalandhar), Punjab

Current age 29 years 230 days

Major teams India, Asia XI, Lancashire, Mumbai Indians,Surrey

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm offbreak

A player of passion, with talent to match, Harbhajan Singh is India's most successful offspin bowler. Bowling with a windmilling, whiplash action, remodelled after he was reported for throwing, he exercises great command over the ball, has the ability to vary his length and pace, and can turn it the other way too. His main wicket-taking ball, however, is the one that climbs wickedly on the unsuspecting batsman from a good length, forcing him to alter his stroke at the last second. In March 2001, it proved too much for the all-conquering Australians, as Harbhajan collected 32 wickets in three Tests, including the first Test hat-trick by an Indian, while none of his team-mates managed more than three. He has never quite managed to reach those heights again, but he remains an irresistible force on home pitches where he can be unplayable once he manages an opening. Purists might mutter about a lack of loop and flight, but he is very much a product of his times where short boundaries and heavy bats afford little latitude to slow bowlers. His overseas record, despite two five-fors against West Indies in India's last tour there in 2006, remains a worry: he averages nearly 40 per wicket outside India, while at home he averages just over 25. He can be occasionally explosive with the bat and has scored 1000 runs. At 27, he remains the prime candidate to carry on India's rich legacy in spin after the the retirement of Anil Kumble. Harbhajan's rivalry with the Australians resulted in an on-field spat during Australia's tour of India in October 2007 but things boiled over in Sydney in January 2008 when Harbhajan was charged with racially abusing Andrew Symonds. He was given a three-Test ban but the charge was reduced, on appeal, to abuse and insult not amounting to racism and the ban was turned into a fine. In April that year, Harbhajan was involved in another controversy - this time with an Indian team-mate - when video evidence showed him slapping Sreesanth without any provocation after an IPL game in Mohali. He pleaded guilty at a hearing and was banned for 11 IPL matches.

Batting and fielding averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	83	114	20	1585	66	16.86	2452	64.64	0	7	214	21	40	0
ODIs	209	110	28	1061	49	12.93	1301	81.55	0	0	86	27	59	0
T20Is	17	6	1	57	21	11.40	54	105.55	0	0	7	1	5	0
First-class	147	195	37	2993	84	18.94			0	11			73	0
List A	259	141	37	1403	49	13.49			0	0			78	0
Twenty20	46	26	6	254	31*	12.70	187	135.82	0	0	19	14	13	0

Bowling averages

	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
Tests	83	152	23401	10985	355	8/84	15/217	30.94	2.81	65.9	12	24	5
ODIs	209	200	10931	7840	239	5/31	5/31	32.80	4.30	45.7	2	3	0
T20Is	17	16	360	393	16	3/30	3/30	24.56	6.55	22.5	0	0	0
First-class	147		37340	17506	632	8/84		27.69	2.81	59.0		38	7
List A	259		13423	9552	307	5/31	5/31	31.11	4.26	43.7	4	3	0
Twenty20	46	44	918	974	41	4/17	4/17	23.75	6.36	22.3	1	0	0