Amid coronavirus pandemic followed by worldwide lockdown, cricketers be it former or currently active players are taking part in chat sessions or online interviews. Following the similar pattern, veteran India spinner Harbhajan Singh got involved in a chat show ‘Isolation Premier League’ hosted by sports presenter Gaurav Kapur.
During the interview, Harbhajan faced lots of queries, but one question led him to remember an incident which the latter is not the fan of. Anchor Gaurav asked Bhajji if he still remembers the name of the player who dismissed him with his first ball in T20 cricket.
The legendary Indian spinner promptly answered the question and recalled the dismissal, which left him embarrassed for his life as it was done by someone who was not known for his bowling at all.
The person that Harbhajan referred to was none other than former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist. Regarded as one of the best wicketkeeper-batsman, Gilchrist stunned many when he took the ball during the final over of his last T20 match in the Indian Premier League (IPL). And on his very first ball in T20 cricket, he sent Harbhajan back to the dugout.
Reminiscing the awkward episode, Harbhajan said when he saw Gilly with the ball, he thought to score plenty of runs in the over, but sadly it couldn’t happen. The Jalandhar-born stated that nothing could be more embarrassing than it.
“Adam Gilchrist! I was like Gilchrist has come in front of me, let’s hit him for runs. I saw the size of the ground, and I thought I could hit every ball for a six. But it did not happen. What happened was that I was caught on the first ball towards the fine line. Nothing can be more embarrassing than it,” said Harbhajan.
Harbhajan expressed that eventually, it was satisfying as he made him (Gilchrist) happy.
“I got out on a delivery from a player who maybe never even bowled a single ball at the nets. But I made him happy. I have dismissed him so many times in Test cricket; I was like ‘okay, man, you too be happy’,” added the 39-year-old.
The Indian off-break bowler said that he had dismissed Gilchrist for like 11 times in his career, but the explosive Aussie batsman celebrated for all those via his dismissal in that game. Harbhajan revealed that Gilchrist did everything he could to cherish the memorable moment.
“I dismissed him 11 times in Test cricket. He celebrated for those 11 times in that one dismissal. He celebrated in every way – he did a ‘Gangnam dance’, he did somersaults, he remembered all those 11 dismissals after he dismissed me that one time,” the offie added further.
