Harbhajan Singh, erstwhile outstanding off spinner of Team India, has decided that he is better suited to contribute to Indian cricket as a batsman rather than an off-spinner. The revamp in Harbhajan’s profile reminds one of a similar exercise by the hallowed Sonia Gandhi, when the Chairperson of the UPA removed her Cambridge University degree in English from her electoral candidature profile, deciding that the degree is a hindrance and weakness in leading a large non-English speaking nation. While Sonia G’s decision was significantly motivated by Subramanian Swamy’s counsel, Harbhajan’s decision was influenced by the recent performances of three spinners: Pragyan Ojha, R Ashwin and BhajG himself. He was quick to add, however, that the revamp was not based on non-performance as a spinner, but was based on his prolific performance with the bat in the last 11 test matches, which places him fourth in the list of leading run scorers during the period, with an average of 35. Reacting to BhajG’s declaration, M S Dhoni has promised that the sole criteria for selection for tests will be performance, indicating that Harbhajan might join the bandwagon of musical chair performers in the Indian middle order, led by Suresh Raina & Yuvraj Singh. However, Dhoni, averaging 25 during the same period, hastily added that the criterion was not applicable for the team captain.
Predictably, BhajG gave credit for his batting transformation to Sachin, his batting idol, and was prompt to invoke the Sikh war cry and maul a reporter who had pointed out that the two wield the willow in completely different styles. Dispelling fears that this might be the burial of BhajG the off-spinner, the Sardar informed the gathered press that he has also been able to develop the “teesra”, a delivery which will spin. He is hopeful for the success of the “teesra” which might help him reach 600 test wickets, as even the RaGnikanth has been beaten twice by it.
Meanwhile, sources say that in an effort to help complete the profiles of BhajG and Sonia G holistically, Arindam Chaudhari and IIPM have been swift to offer free honorary MBA degrees to both of them, no doubt considering the fact that both have considerable international exposure and both have dared to think differently.
