Harbhajan Singh open to leadership role

Harbhajan Singh, one of the senior members of the Indian team with more than 11 years experience at international level, has said he would be willing to take up the role of captain or vice-captain if offered. Harbhajan led Mumbai Indians in the inaugural IPL, but has not been a candidate for national captaincy despite having won several games for India.

"When my time comes, I will get captaincy or vice-captaincy," Harbhajan, who turns 30 on Saturday, told Indian news channel Headlines Today. "I have said many times that I am available and obviously if something like this comes then I would definitely be really honoured to receive such kind of responsibility.

"As you said, I have not got my dues, so probably I will when that time comes. I have seen Anil Kumble retiring. He was the captain of India for two years. For me it will be the same thing. Let's see, who knows."

Harbhajan acknowledged the responsibility on his shoulders and said his role was to guide India's upcoming spinners in the way Kumble had guided him. "I am the kind of person who actually believes that I have to win this game and I have got young bowlers like Pragyan Ojha, Piyush Chawla, Ashwin and I need to show them the way," he said.

"Even now, when he [Kumble] is retired, I ask him whenever there is something wrong with my bowling. After the Nagpur Test, I called him and asked him whether anything is wrong. He just told me that there is nothing wrong with my bowling, just keep things very simple, you've won games on previous occasions, just go and give your best shot and be relaxed as much as you can." Harbhajan bagged eight wickets in the next Test in Kolkata to level the series and propel India to the No.1 ranking in Tests.

Harbhajan also dismissed talk of him being an allrounder, following his match-winning cameo against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. "I am not an allrounder. There was only one allrounder that India produced and that is Kapil Dev," Harbhajan said. "I don't think after Kapil Dev any allrounder came. But I am definitely someone who can work with the bat. I have worked really hard on it thanks to Gary Kirsten and other team-mates."

Harbhajan, who continues to represent India in all three formats, admitted India's early exit from the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean was a setback but the kind of criticism that followed, he claimed, was unwarranted. "Of course, it hurt when people were taking our case," he said. "Everyone was saying we are running after money. We are playing cricket and nothing else and for God's sake please leave us alone for some time. You know we have got our own life as well. We are mature people and know what to do.

"Playing for the country is my first thing and what I am today is because I am playing for my country. If I was playing just IPL, or for any other club, then nobody would have given me the respect I have got. Whatever I have achieved today [is because I play for India]."

Such criticism, Harbhajan added, was difficult for the youngsters in the squad. "If someone does not do well you criticise him, but do not take his case for any other reason. It definitely affects the youngsters."