The former India spinner, Harbhajan Singh, ended his last domestic season in 2017 while captaining the Punjab team. One of the highlights of his final stint was when two of India’s up-and-coming batting stars, Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma, made their debut in the Ranji Trophy under his leadership. Reflecting upon his time spent with these talented youngsters, Harbhajan talks about their vivacity and interaction with him while he was present.
Abhishek, one of the younger cricketers, who lately made headlines as he scored an excellent century for India against England in the fifth T20I, becoming India’s highest scorer in T20Is. Harbhajan recalls the two would always hold themselves in a serious light, almost as if they were intimidated by him.
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While they become easy-going whenever they are with each other, they show some level of respect for their elder. Harbhajan, being the mentor that he is, pondered over their behaviour, which he interpreted as a sign of respect from the youngsters.
“Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill made their debut under me. I remember when I was the captain. I wanted them to play the Ranji Trophy. And I’m extremely happy seeing how they’ve improved. I mean, that gives me tremendous pride that both of them belong to Punjab. Shubman and Abhishek don’t do much mazaak with me. I do not know why they fear me. They probably do a lot of mazaak together, but the moment I enter, they turn serious. Maybe it’s because of respect,” Harbhajan Singh shared in an interview.
Harbhajan Singh also is optimistic about India’s future in white-ball cricket, especially with players like Shubman, Abhishek, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. He believes these three will form the backbone of India’s top order for years to come.
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“This team is ready for the 2026 T20 World Cup. I’m looking forward to the day Shubman, Abhishek, and Yashasvi Jaiswal are the permanent top 3 in white-ball cricket. Maybe in the next six months, that will happen,” he added.
