A Black-bearded man wearing a white turban stares directly at the camera. He is wearing a grey-blue and white shirt with the colours of the Flag of India and the word "SAHARA" on the shirt's chest area.
Harbhajan Singh has the third-highest number of Test wickets by an off spinner, behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan and India's Ravichandran Ashwin in test match cricket.[1]

In cricket, a five-wicket haul (also known as a "fifer"[2]) refers to a bowler taking five or more wickets in a single innings. This is regarded as a notable achievement,[3] and as of October 2019 only 48 bowlers have taken 15 or more five-wicket hauls at the international level.[4] A right-arm off break bowler, Harbhajan Singh has taken 417 wickets in Test, 269 wickets in One Day International (ODI) and 25 wickets in Twenty20 International (T20I) matches for India.[5] He has the second-highest number of five-wicket hauls (28) in international cricket—next to Anil Kumble—among Indian cricketers and the eleventh among overall.[a]

Harbhajan made his Test debut against Australia in 1998. His first five-wicket haul came against the same team during the second Test of the 2000–01 series at Eden Gardens.[6] His six wickets for 73 runs in the second innings of the match raised his tally to thirteen wickets in the match; his performance was instrumental in India winning the match after being forced to follow-on.[7][b] In the third Test of the series, he claimed fifteen wickets for 217 runs, including career-best figures of eight wickets for 84 runs.[6] The majority of his five-wicket hauls in Test cricket—seven out of his twenty-five—have come against Australia.

Harbhajan's first five-wicket haul in ODIs came against England in 2002, four years after he made his debut.[5] He took five wickets for 43 runs in the match which India lost.[9] His best figures of five wickets for 31 runs came against the same team in 2006.[10][11] Although Harbhajan made his first T20I appearance in 2006,[5] he has yet to take a five-wicket haul in the format as of October 2019. His figures of four wickets for 12 runs against England in 2012 remain his best in T20Is.[12]

Key

A Black bearded man wearing a black turban in his bowling action. The stumps, off-strike batsman, field, boundary ropes and the spectators can be seen in the background.
Harbhajan bowling against Australia during the 2010–11 Border–Gavaskar Trophy.
Symbol Meaning
Date Day the Test started or ODI held
Inn Innings in which five-wicket haul was taken
Overs Number of overs bowled
Runs Number of runs conceded
Wkts Number of wickets taken
Econ Runs conceded per over
Batsmen Batsmen whose wickets were taken
Result Result for the India team
* One of two five-wicket hauls by Harbhajan in the match
† 10 or more wickets taken in the match
‡ Harbhajan was selected as the man of the match

Tests

Five-wicket hauls in Test cricket[13]
No. Date Ground Against Inn Overs Runs Wkts Econ Batsmen Result
1 11 March 2001 * † Eden Gardens, Kolkata  Australia 1 37.5 123 7 3.25 Won[14]
2 11 March 2001 * † Eden Gardens, Kolkata  Australia 4 30.3 73 6 2.39 Won[14]
3 18 March 2001 * † ‡ M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai  Australia 1 38.2 133 7 3.46 Won[15]
4 18 March 2001 * † ‡ M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai  Australia 3 41.5 84 8 2.01 Won[15]
5 3 December 2001 Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali  England 1 19.3 51 5 2.61 Won[16]
6 11 December 2001 Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad  England 3 30.2 71 5 2.34 Drawn[17]
7 28 February 2002 ‡ Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi  Zimbabwe 3 31 62 6 2.00 Won[18]
8 18 May 2002 Sabina Park, Kingston  West Indies 1 38 138 5 3.63 Lost[19]
9 5 September 2002 Kennington Oval, London  England 1 38.4 115 5 2.97 Drawn[20]
10 9 October 2002 Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai  West Indies 3 28.3 48 7 1.68 Won[21]
11 30 October 2002 Eden Gardens, Kolkata  West Indies 2 57.3 115 5 2.00 Drawn[22]
12 6 October 2004 * † M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore  Australia 1 41 146 5 3.56 Lost[23]
13 6 October 2004 * † M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore  Australia 3 30.1 78 6 2.58 Lost[23]
14 3 November 2004 Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai  Australia 4 10.5 29 5 2.67 Won[24]
15 28 November 2004 ‡ Eden Gardens, Kolkata  South Africa 3 30 87 7 2.90 Won[25]
16 24 March 2005 M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore  Pakistan 1 51.5 152 6 2.93 Lost[26]
17 18 December 2005 † ‡ Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad  Sri Lanka 2 22.2 62 7 2.77 Won[27]
18 18 December 2005 Warner Park, Basseterre  West Indies 1 44 147 5 3.34 Drawn[28]
19 30 June 2006 Sabina Park, Kingston  West Indies 2 4.3 13 5 2.88 Won[29]
20 30 November 2007 Eden Gardens, Kolkata  Pakistan 2 45.5 122 5 2.66 Drawn[30]
21 26 March 2008 M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai  South Africa 1 44.5 164 5 3.65 Drawn[31]
22 31 July 2008 † Galle International Stadium, Galle  Sri Lanka 2 40.3 102 6 2.51 Won[32]
23 18 March 2009 Seddon Park, Hamilton  New Zealand 3 28 63 6 2.25 Won[33]
24 14 February 2010 Eden Gardens, Kolkata  South Africa 3 48.3 59 5 1.21 Won[34]
25 2 January 2011 Newlands, Cape Town  South Africa 3 38 120 7 3.15 Drawn[35]

ODIs

Five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket[36]
No. Date Ground Against Inn Overs Runs Wkts Econ Batsmen Result
1 3 February 2002 Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai  England 1 10 43 5 4.30 Lost[37]
2 28 March 2006 ‡ Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi  England 2 10 31 5 3.10 Won[11]
3 14 September 2009 R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo  Sri Lanka 2 9.4 56 5 5.79 Won[38]

Notes

  1. ^ He stands next to Muttiah Muralitharan (77), Richard Hadlee (41), Shane Warne (38), Anil Kumble (37), Glenn McGrath (36), Waqar Younis (35), Rangana Herath (35), Wasim Akram (31), Dale Steyn (29) and James Anderson (29).[4]
  2. ^ This was only the third occasion where a team had won after being forced to follow-on.[8]

References

  1. ^ Loedi, Tony (17 December 2013). "They can't pick off-spinners in Australia". The Roar. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  2. ^ "Swinging it for the Auld Enemy – An interview with Ryan Sidebottom". The Scotsman. Johnston Press. 17 August 2008. Retrieved 30 October 2009. ... I'd rather take fifers (five wickets) for England ...
  3. ^ Pervez, M. A. (2001). A Dictionary of Cricket. Orient Blackswan. p. 31. ISBN 9788173701849. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Combined Test, ODI and T20I records: Most five-wicket hauls in a career". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  5. ^ a b c "Player Profile: Harbhajan Singh". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Harbhajan Singh: Combined Test, ODI and T20I records – Five-wicket hauls". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 22 December 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  7. ^ Vasu, Anand (15 March 2001). "Laxman, Harbhajan script sensational Indian victory". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  8. ^ "Records / Test matches / Team records / Victory after a follow on". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  9. ^ "6th ODI: India v England at Mumbai, Feb 3, 2002". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 11 October 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  10. ^ "Statistics / Harbhajan Singh / One-Day Internationals". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 22 December 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  11. ^ a b "England in India ODI Series – 1st ODI". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 29 October 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  12. ^ "Records / Twenty20 Internationals / Bowling records / Best figures in an innings". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  13. ^ "Statistics / Harbhajan Singh / Test matches". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 22 December 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  14. ^ a b "Border-Gavaskar Trophy – 2nd Test". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 23 June 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  15. ^ a b "Australia in India Test Series (2001) – Scorecard of 3rd Test". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
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  17. ^ "England in India Test Series – 2nd Test". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 19 November 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
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  19. ^ "5th Test: West Indies v India in Kingston". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 14 November 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
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  21. ^ "1st Test: India v West Indies at Mumbai". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 17 November 2010. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  22. ^ "3rd Test: India v West Indies at Kolkata". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  23. ^ a b "1st Test: India v Australia at Bangalore". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  24. ^ "4th Test: India v Australia at Mumbai". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  25. ^ "2nd Test: India v South Africa at Kolkata". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 15 February 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  26. ^ "3rd Test: India v Pakistan at Bangalore". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  27. ^ "3rd Test: India v Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  28. ^ "3rd Test: West Indies v India at Basseterre". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  29. ^ "4th Test: West Indies v India at Kingston". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  30. ^ "2nd Test: India v Pakistan at Kolkata". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 4 August 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  31. ^ "2nd Test: India v South Africa at Chennai". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 27 October 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  32. ^ "2nd Test: Sri Lanka v India at Galle". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  33. ^ "1st Test: New Zealand v India at Hamilton". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  34. ^ "2nd Test: India v South Africa at Kolkata". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 24 January 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  35. ^ "3rd Test: South Africa v India at Cape town". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 6 January 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  36. ^ "Statistics / Harbhajan Singh / One-Day Internationals". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 22 December 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  37. ^ "England in India ODI Series – 6th ODI". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 19 November 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  38. ^ "Final: Sri Lanka v India at Colombo (RPS)". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 22 December 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.

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