Harbhajan Singh: India's Turbanator, First Indian Hat-Trick vs Australia (2001), and 417 Test Wickets
Harbhajan Singh (India) took the first hat-trick by an Indian in Test cricket — against Australia at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in March 2001 (Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, all three in consecutive balls). He finished with 32/5 in that innings. He went on to take 417 Test wickets at 32.46 over 103 Tests. Known as 'The Turbanator' for his distinctive turban and aggressive bowling personality, he was India's premier off-spinner through the 2000s alongside Anil Kumble.
Harbhajan Singh was born in Jalandhar, Punjab in July 1980. He made his Test debut in 1998 and established himself as India's primary off-spin option. His most famous moment came during the 2001 Eden Gardens Test — in the first innings of that extraordinary match, he dismissed Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, and Shane Warne in successive balls to become the first Indian to take a Test hat-trick.
The Hat-Trick
Eden Gardens, Kolkata, 11 March 2001, Australia's first innings. Australia were well set at approximately 252/4 when Harbhajan struck: Ricky Ponting — caught at slip (off an off-break that turned sharply). Adam Gilchrist — bowled (attempting a sweep, the ball spun past the inside edge). Shane Warne — caught at short leg. Three consecutive wickets in balls 4, 5, 6 of the over. Australia collapsed from 252/4 to 445 all out — but those three wickets triggered a batting collapse. Harbhajan finished with 7/123 in the first innings. In India's follow-on innings (Laxman 281, Dravid 180), he then took 6/73 in Australia's second innings as India won by 171 runs.
Career Overview
Harbhajan played 103 Tests and took 417 wickets at 32.46. His peak years were 2001–2008 when he and Anil Kumble formed India's dominant spin partnership. He also bowled the 'doosra' — an off-spinner's delivery that turns the opposite way — though its legality was questioned and he was called for throwing in 2006. He played 236 ODIs (269 wickets) and 28 T20Is. He is one of only five Indians to have taken 400+ Test wickets (Kumble 619, Ashwin 500+, Harbhajan 417, Zaheer Khan 311, Kapil Dev 434).
Frequently asked questions
What is the doosra in off-spin bowling, and why has it been surrounded by controversy over bowling actions?
The doosra: off-spin's most controversial delivery. The doosra (Urdu for 'the other one' or 'the second one') is a variation bowled by an off-spinner that turns from leg to off stump — the opposite direction to the standard off-break (which turns from off to leg). The mechanical challenge: an off-spinner imparts spin by rotating the ball with the top of the fingers from right to left (for a right-arm bowler). To bowl the doosra, they must reverse the wrist action — essentially bowling the ball so it rotates from left to right. The mechanical problem is that achieving this reverse rotation while maintaining a legal delivery (arm fully extended, elbow not bending beyond 15 degrees) is geometrically very difficult for most bowlers. The controversy: most doosra bowlers are suspected of 'throwing' — bending the elbow beyond the 15-degree limit to generate the opposite rotation. Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan) invented the doosra in the late 1990s and was never questioned. Harbhajan Singh used it from the early 2000s; in 2006, the ICC biomechanics panel found his action exceeded 15-degree flexion (throwing). He modified his action. Muttiah Muralitharan was also investigated for his doosra action — his standard delivery was cleared after biomechanics studies showed his unusual arm anatomy allowed legal spin; the doosra was investigated separately. R Ashwin attempted a doosra variation in the early 2010s; he moved away from it. The legal doosra: some analysts argue a legal doosra is impossible — the geometry of the wrist position required cannot be achieved without elbow extension. Others cite bowlers like Saqlain (who was cleared) as evidence it can be done. The ICC has tightened enforcement: since 2014, any bowler reported for a suspect action undergoes biomechanical testing at an ICC-accredited centre. The 15-degree rule (from the 2004 ICC review) covers all delivery types including the doosra.