Perhaps it is because of the piles of runs scored in the series,or due to the general indifference towards bowling performances in a game increasingly dominated by batsmen,that of late Harbhajan Singhs off-spin hasnt really got the attention it deserves. A look at the statistics show that he was the top wicket-taker for India in all forms of the game on this tour. But he returns home on Wednesday without a single Man of the Match award. He got the opportunity to address a press conference during the final Test,but that too was on the day when he had scored a half-century. In the middle of questions concerning his ever-improving batting,Harbhajan couldnt help slipping in a few lines about his bowling. Ive bowled well in the one-day series and in the Tests,though many people have been writing rubbish about me,saying that Im good only in India, he said. I know what I have been doing and what is important for the team and what matters to the country. Harbhajans success in New Zealand was certainly important for the team. After the retirement of Indias long-standing No 1 spinner Anil Kumble,this was Indias first away tour. There was the burden of added responsibility on Harbhajans shoulders,but at the same time there was no pressure of missing the playing XI. Away from the sub-continent,Team India have usually gone with a 3-1 bowling combination,and the Harbhajan vs Kumble debate has been a hot topic on several match-eves. Adding a degree a difficulty for Harbhajan were the conditions,which were not conducive for his brand of spin bowling. But the fact that Daniel Vettori didnt even manage to pick up half the number of wickets that Harbhajan got proves the Indians creditable showing. There were some soft dismissals but most of the time Harbhajan had to work hard and think harder for his wickets. For example,in the first innings in Wellington,Harbhajan had induced an edge from Ross Taylor with a leg-side line. He wanted to exploit the same weakness again in the second innings,but when he managed to fox Taylor with the same trick on Monday,the the ball fell short of Virender Sehwag at leg-slip. On Tuesday,he started with the same plan bowling from around the wicket with a couple of close-in fielders on the leg-side but with Taylor aware of his intentions,the Indian was forced to change his plan. After a series of good-length ball on the legs,he fired a yorker on off and middle. Surprised,Taylor missed the line and was bowled. The vital dismissal couldve opened the match for India but rain played spoilsport. Harbhajan had to be content with figures of four for 59,missing the chance to get a fiver and to bowl India to victory.
