Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has laughed off suggestions that he is jealous of the achievements of his successor, Ravichandran Ashwin.

Singh, India's most prolific off-spinner with 417 Test wickets to his name, effectively lost his place to Tamil Nadu counterpart Ravichandran Ashwin, in the first half of the last decade.

India have become the best Test side in the game in recent years with Ashwin - who now has 365 Test wickets - playing a starring role, particularly in home games.

"A lot of people would say that there is a lot of jealousy between us," said Harbhajan on Ashwin's Instagram show 'ReminiscewithAsh'.

"But I would want to call out to those detractors and say there is nothing like that. Ashwin is the best offie in the world right now."

Harbhajan was also full of praise for their Australian rival Nathan Lyon, the most prolific active spinner with 390 Test wickets to his name.

"I also rate Nathan Lyon highly," Harbhajan continued.

"The Aussie [Lyon] is also up there because he has done extremely well for himself given the fact that he comes from Australia where the pitches hardly aid spinners.

"But Ashwin is a legend in the making."

Harbhajan also hopes Ashwin remains fit and ends up with the most number of wickets in Tests, a mark currently held by Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan, who retired in 2010 having taken 800 international red-ball wickets.

"Going forward, I only want him to stay fit because he is capable of taking a lot more wickets and could finish among the highest wicket-takers in the world," concluded Harbhajan.

- TEAMtalk media