2) At number 2 is something that you might not entirely find unfathomable after watching Harbhajan score two Test centuries in the not too distant past but what is a bit surprising is that he initially wanted to be a batsman. In fact, when he first started going to a cricket club he was treated as a batsman but after the death of his coach he switched to another club, where the coach spotted Harbhajan’s talent as an off spinner and immediately started grooming him as one
3) Harbhajan Singh became the first no. 8 batsman to score back-to-back Test centuries
4) Following the death of his father in 2000, Harbhajan became the family head, and by 2001 had organised marriages for three of his sisters
5) Harbhajan Singh broke into the Punjab Under-16s at the age of 15 years and 4 months in November of the 1995–96 season, and took 7/46 and 5/138 on debut against Haryana
6) Harbhajan Singh is only 18 wickets away from equaling Kapil Dev’s second highest tally of 434 wickets
7) As you might well be aware, most sportsmen have a thing for numbers when it comes to their fortunes on the field or off it and Harbhajan Singh is no different. Harbhajan considers 3 as his lucky number because he was born on the 3rd of July 1980. If you have noticed his jersey number when he plays for India or Mumbai Indians then you would see that the number on his back is 3 which clearly shows his liking for the number 3
8) Harbhajan Singh is the 3rd Indian bowler to scalp 400 Test wickets
9) In at number 4 is Harbhajan Singh’s innovative and rather long term commercial decision to get a brand license on his name, which he perhaps intends to use in commercial ventures in the future. He believes that the name ‘Harbhajan Singh’ is a pretty common one and in order to distinguish his name and make sure that it is recognisable for everyone he has decided to license it as a brand. You might say that it is unprecedented in the annals of Indian sports but that is Harbhajan for you
10) Harbhajan made his Test debut against Australia in March, 1998 in Bengaluru. He managed to take 2 wickets in the test and India lost the match. He was just 18 years-old when he started his International career
11) Like most men who have made a fortune, Harbhajan Singh is also a car enthusiast and takes a keen interest in the cars that he owns. Harbhajan’s first car was a Ford Endeavour, which he bought many years back and over the years he has added some of the choicest cars in to his stable but the most extravagant car purchase that he has made so far has been that of a Hummer back in 2011. He had bought it for a cool Rs 1 crore and quite naturally it is the king of his stable at the moment
12) Harbhajan Singh was a part of two World Cup-winning teams – ICC Twenty20 in 2007 and the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011
13) Punjab Police has been a great supporter of sports since time immemorial and if you cast an eye across different sports- football, hockey, kabaddi- you will find a team that represents this elite police force from Punjab and so as a token of appreciation for his contributions towards cricket in the state Punjab Police appointed Harbhajan Singh as the Director General of Police. Of course, Harbhajan would not have to do any policing as it is an honorary post but the gesture is surely a touching one
14) In 2008,Harbhajan participated in a dance reality show ‘Ek Haseena Ek Khiladi’ with tollywood actress Mona Singh. Geeta was spotted at the hotel where Bhajji was staying for the promotion of the event but she continued to be discreet about it
15) The couple stepped out together openly for the first time for Formula 1 race at the Budh International Circuit in Greater Noida. Geeta began accompanying him to IPL bashes. They began to go for dinners together with Sachin Tendulkaar when ever the cricketer was in town
16) In 2009, Harbhajan Singh was conferred the Padma Shri Award
17) In 2003, Harbhajan Singh was awarded with the Arjuna Award for Cricket
18) IIn 2008, Harbhajan was banned by the ICC and was charged for racial insult towards Andrew Symonds. The ban was later revoked after appeal. Later in 2008 during the first IPL, Harbhajan was banned from the tournament after slapping Sreesanth after a match
19) Harbhajan Singh most memorable event has to be his performance in the historic 2001 home series against Australia. He snapped 32 wickets in just three tests, including the first Test hat-trick by an Indian, while none of his team-mates managed more than three
20) Harbhajan Singh is famous for bowling the “Doosra”
21) Harbhajan Singh’s common nickname is “The Turbanator”
22) Harbhajan has been particularly successful against Australian batsman Ricky Ponting, taking his wicket on ten occasions in Test cricket
23) Harbhajan Singh is the first Indian to take a hat-trick in Test cricket in 2001
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