We triggered Hayden's slump - Harbhajan

Harbhajan Singh: 'I would like to watch him score over 350 again in a Test - just not against us' © Getty Images

Harbhajan Singh, the Indian offspinner, has taken credit for triggering Matthew Hayden's batting slump while maintaining that the cricketing world has missed Hayden's attacking batting this season. Hayden, who was dropped for the first final of the VB Series, has averaged 14.28 in his last seven one-dayers and only 10.5 in the VB Series.

"I am disappointed because I love watching him against other teams," Harbhajan told The Sydney Morning Herald. "We had very good plans against him, about where to place our fielders and how to bowl to him and we were successful, but I do miss watching him bat now."

Hayden, who was expected to dominate the series like he had in 2001 with a staggering average of 109.8, managed just 244 runs at an average of 30.5 in the four Tests. Harbhajan dismissed him three times in the series, including luring him into the sweep-trap in the first Test at Bangalore. "He is a stroke-player, and we tried to take away his boundary shots. I bowled to him a lot of the time. We all learned our lesson from his last tour here. But now I am disappointed because he is one of the best batsmen I have ever bowled to, and you love watching someone like that in good form - when it's not against you."

Harbhajan also felt that other teams had taken India's cue and learnt to tackle Hayden effectively. "Maybe those teams watched us and have their own plans against him now," Harbhajan continued. "Now maybe everyone knows where to bowl to him. But at the end of the day, he is a great player and I hope he comes out of this stronger. I would like to watch him score over 350 again in a Test - just not against us."