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I bowled doosra openly: Harbhajan
The off-spinner on Friday said he was unfazed by the controversy surrounding his bowling action and bowled the 'doosra' liberally at Bangalore.
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Friday said he was unfazed by the controversy surrounding his bowling action and bowled the 'doosra' liberally to claim a six-wicket haul against Pakistan in the third and final Test.
"I was not thinking of the ICC matter. Board is there to look after the matter. I played my game. I am very happy that I got six wickets. I am feeling really happy about it," the off-spinner said.
"I definitely bowled doosra and off-spin because doosra had been cleared last time and I had passed the test. I bowled openly."
Stressing that he was not worried about having been reported again for a suspect bowling action, he said that such "small allegations" are bound to be levelled against players.
"What's important is I am confident and believe in myself. The team and the Board has supported me, and I want to thank them.
Harbhajan said there was nothing in the wicket for spinners in the first two days but he got some bounce before the tea-break on Friday.
He said he was not expecting the strip to change a lot. "Wicket is good for batting. We have to bat well tomorrow and hopefully the day after also."
On his spin partner Anil Kumble going wicketless in the first innings, Harbhajan said it was just an "off-day" for him.
"Kumble is a legend, he is a great bowler. He is number one in the world," he said.
Harbhajan, who had his 16th five-wicket haul in an innings on Friday, rated Abdul Razzaq's dismissal as the best of the lot because of the "way he got out".
"I tossed the ball up and he was trying to play cover drive," Harbhajan said referring to the dismissal of Razzaq who perished after offering a return catch.
He praised Pakistan's batting and said they played sensibly. He termed Inzamam-ul-Haq's dismissal as the crucial wicket for India on the second day.
Harbhajan said he did not lose any sleep just because he had not taken a wicket on the opening day.
On his conversation with Sunil Gavaskar, he said the former batting great was just compliementing him for his good bowling performance.
On exchange of words with Younis Khan on Thursday, Harbhajan said he was telling the batsman something in Punjabi. "If you are speaking in Punjabi, it always sounds like a quarrel."
