This is Part 13 of Legends of Indian Cricket, our 20-part series on the players who shaped the game in India. New here? Start with Part 1: Vinoo Mankad, or read the previous part, Part 12: Jhulan Goswami.
In early 2001, India were missing Anil Kumble through injury and facing the all-conquering Australians. A 20-year-old off-spinner from Jalandhar, Harbhajan Singh, stepped in and produced one of the greatest series ever by an Indian bowler.
The 2001 series
- Harbhajan took 32 wickets in three Tests, more than any other bowler on either side.
- In Kolkata, he dismissed Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne in successive balls for India's first Test hat-trick.
- He took 15 wickets in the final Test in Chennai as India won the series 2-1.
Combined with the heroics of VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid, it became the series that changed Indian cricket.
The "doosra" and the fight
Harbhajan bowled with sharp drift, bounce and the "doosra", the off-spinner's ball that turns the other way. He was also known for his fiery temperament and on-field battles, especially with Australia.
Career in numbers
- 103 Tests and 417 wickets, the third-most by an Indian when he played his last Test, behind Anil Kumble and Kapil Dev.
- 236 ODIs and 269 wickets.
- Two Test centuries as a lower-order batter.
- Part of India's 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 World Cup winning squads.
After playing
Harbhajan won IPL titles with Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, became a commentator, and has served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha.
Legacy
The "Turbanator" showed that an Indian spinner could dominate the best team in the world, paving the way for R Ashwin.
Statistics are for international cricket and are correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026; figures for active players will change.
Next in the series: Part 14: Zaheer Khan.
