With hours to go for the IPL Auction, senior Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh would be tensed. After being released from Chennai Super Kings, Harbhajan has kept himself at the Rs 2 cr base price at the auction. Will there be a side that would be interested in getting the services of the old warhorse? Last month, Harbhajan claimed that he has a lot of cricket left in him and said that he wants to contribute.
“There is a lot of cricket left in me, very much. Fitness-wise, I am quite fit, I worked hard on my fitness during the lockdown. Unfortunately, I could not do anything (participate in the IPL). I am looking forward to being in the park again and doing what I can do best,” Harbhajan had told Cribuzz in February.
If that is the case, then franchises could look at him. Will new-look Punjab Kings be interested in roping in the local boy? KXIP has released big names from their side and with a purse of Rs 53.2 cr – they could go for it.
His chances would also be realistic as his former colleague Anil Kumble is now the head coach at Punjab Kings. Kumble has played a decade of cricket with the veteran off-spinner and won matches. The grand reunion is surely on the cards and given his experience he can bring a lot to the table.
If that happens, it would be the first time he would turn up for his home franchise after having served Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians well. His presence in the dressing-room would also help young Indian spinners like Ravi Bishnoi and Murugan Ashwin – who can learn a lot from Harbhajan.
KXIP Players Retained: KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Nicholas Pooran, Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, Deepak Hooda, Prabhsimran Singh, Mohammed Shami, Chris Jordan, Darshan Nalkande, Ravi Bishnoi, Murugan Ashwin, Arshdeep Singh, Harpreet Brar, Ishan Porel