|
One of the highlights of the much-awaited Indian Premier League could be a chance encounter between controversial Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds and equally notorious rival Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh.
Both Harbhajan and Symonds are no strangers to drama and matters came to a head during India's tour to Australia this winter, with the Indian bowler accusing his opponent of issuing racist slurs against him.
The events that followed threatened to put the entire tour in jeopardy, while at the same time put the credibility of the ICC at the forefront.
While honours in the Test and tri-nation contests were shared, the two cricketers have still not exorcised the tension that exists between them.
Symonds, who will play for the Hyderabad Chargers, is the second most expensive player in the IPL, with a purse of $1.35 million (Dh9.8 million), Harbhajan will turn out for the Mumbai Indians for a fee of $850,000 (Dh6.2 million).
Still rankles
While Harbhajan claimed a moral victory over the Aussies at the end of the tour and went on to claim 19 Test wickets in the series against South Africa to be adjudged Man of the Series, he still rankles at the mention of Symonds and treads softly at the thought of any reconciliation between them.
"I know he had said he wants to be friendly with me," said the Indian. "However, I am not so sure. The allegations he raised against me were very serious and I am not ready to forget it overnight."
But there is a definite possibility the two will face each other, this time on Harbhajan's home turf. Acknowledging the prospect, Harbhajan said: "Maybe over the course of time things will get better between us. But it cannot happen right here, at this moment. When I meet him, I shall definitely be saying 'hello', but there's the end of it for me."
Reflecting on his team's chances in the IPL, Harbhajan said they had a genuine chance of winning the tournament. It is not an idle boast given that the Mumbai Indians have Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya and Shaun Pollock in their midst.
"We have a fine team," stated Harbhajan. "It's a balanced outfit. I know that in Twenty20, you cannot predict anything. The course of the match can be changed at any moment. Yet, I feel we have a very good chance to win the IPL."
On the verge of reaching his 28th birthday in July, Harbhajan is close to the 300 Test wicket milestone. His tally stands at 275, but the off-spinner has extended his ambitions further.
"I am pretty young now and want to play for a few more years. As they say, spinners mature with age, I am maturing with every passing year. So 300 Test wickets is not a priority any more. I want to get 500. If I can reach there, I shall be very happy."
Australia's Andrew Symonds, who will play for the Hyderabad Chargers, is the second most expensive player in the IPL, with a purse of $1.35 million.
"I know he had said he wants to be friendly with me. However, I am not so sure. The allegations he raised against me were very serious and I am not ready to forget it."
|
