Bhajji finds his positive spin

It’s a far cry from his form earlier in the season. In Sri Lanka he averaged 31.4 runs per wicket; in Zimbabwe he took 2 wickets for 198 runs from five game.

Harbhajan’s stock dipped further when he returned home and, in the fallout of Chappell’s e-mail, launched a bizarre public broadside at his coach.

When Ganguly lost the battle and got the axe many predicted the same for his protege. But things have turned around and Chappell acknowledges it.

‘‘Harbhajan is a changed man. We worked on his bowling during the Challenger series and the camp at Bangalore. He changed a few things and really put in effort on his bowling,’’ says Chappell.

Indeed, it was surprising to see Harbhajan being named captain in one the practice games towards the end of that camp. The offie, not for the first time in his career, was ready for yet another challenge.

In the very first game, at Nagpur, he returned figures of 3/35 but more creditable was his performance on a belter at Jaipur. He was the one bowler with a smile on his face in a 600-plus game, with figures of 10-0-30-0.

Harbhajan’s turnaround owes much to Chappell’s regime where reputations don’t matter and the utility to the team is vital. With Kumble, Zaheer and VVS Laxman axed, Harbhajan might feared the same fate, especially given that Murali Kartik — whom Dravid holds in high regard — is waiting in the wings.

Yet Bhajji has faced up to the pressure and confounded the pre-series predictions. The pundits said that Muralitharan holds the key to this series. The Lankan, who has conceded 4.5 runs per over, has been sidelined as the Turbanator is back.