Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has denied rumors about taking over as the next head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team. He expressed empathy towards Hardik Pandya, who is going through a tough phase in his career. Despite Pandya’s struggles in the IPL both as a player and captain for Mumbai Indians, Harbhajan is optimistic that Pandya will show improved performance when playing for India in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Harbhajan hopes that Pandya, who “hasn’t been a free man in the last two months,” will regain his form during the tournament. He believes a strong performance from Pandya could greatly enhance India’s chances of success.
He expressed confidence that when Hardik Pandya wears the blue jersey, he will transform into a different player, capable of scoring runs and taking wickets. He hopes that Pandya will perform well, given the challenges he has faced, and wishes him the best for the upcoming tournament with Team India.
He later emphasized that if Hardik Pandya has a good tournament, India will have a great chance to progress. He acknowledged that Pandya’s form is a bit of a concern, noting that there were various factors affecting him, such as his move from Gujarat to Mumbai, which was a significant change. Harbhajan also mentioned that Mumbai Indians didn’t respond positively to Pandya’s return, especially when he came back as captain.
He urges the team management to ensure that Pandya and Rohit are in sync and that the entire team plays together as a cohesive unit.
Harbhajan Singh mentioned that it appeared Mumbai Indians weren’t playing together as a team. He noted that there were various factors affecting Hardik Pandya, and he hasn’t been feeling free in the last two months. Harbhajan believes that both Pandya and others who have played for different teams will need to come together to achieve something special for the nation.
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He believes that Jasprit Bumrah is the only bowler who can consistently perform well regardless of the conditions. He feels that Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj may require assistance from the pitch to be effective. Harbhajan hopes that the other bowlers will step up and take responsibility alongside Bumrah.
Harbhajan expressed concerns about India’s pace attack, noting that Jasprit Bumrah stands out due to his ability to perform well on any pitch. He emphasized that Bumrah doesn’t rely on specific conditions to excel, unlike other bowlers such as Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj, who may need assistance from the pitch. Harbhajan highlighted Siraj’s strengths, mentioning his height, ability to swing the ball both ways, and his pace. However, he pointed out that slower wickets could present a challenge for the other bowlers in the team.
Impressed by Virat Kohli’s improved strike rate and the new shots he added to his game during the IPL, Harbhajan emphasizes the importance of both Kohli and Rohit Sharma scoring quickly in the Powerplay. He also stresses the need for them to adapt and respect the conditions in the USA and West Indies.
“Virat has shown a lot of improvement from last year to this year. People spoke about his strike rate; it was in the 130s last year and this time it’s in the 160s,” he said.
Regarding the speculation surrounding Gautam Gambhir as a potential candidate for India’s head coach position, Harbhajan believes that the most crucial task for any coach is to unite the team and ensure they play as a cohesive unit.
Harbhajan concluded that he wouldn’t be able to commit that much time right now. At this stage of his life, he has a young family to look after. However, he expressed readiness to step forward and announce his availability when the time is right.
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