I'm Not A Quitter, Says Harbhajan Singh

Making a comeback to Team India, Harbhajan Singh gets candid on the ups and downs of life in an exclusive chat with TOI.

The man, who inspired headlines like 'Singh is King' not so long ago, hasn't been a part of Team India for the past 12 months - initially because of injury, and later because of his poor form. But, not one to cow down in the face of adversities, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has been quietly polishing his game, playing county cricket in England and training hard on his own. And now that he's making a comeback in World Cup T20 and (T20) home series against New Zealand, Bhajji says he's "happy and raring to go!" TOI brings you Bhajji unplugged in a tele tete-a-tete from England.

We all go through bad times

Ask him now that he's back in the Indian squad, does he wonder about the unpredictable nature of life, and Bhajji says: "We all go through good and bad times. So, this is an ongoing cycle. But, what is important is - how we handle ourselves in such situations. You have to fight. It's been a tough year, but then tough times teach you a lot! There are a lot of people who quit, but I know one thing for sure that I'm not a quitter! I want to go and play the game to the best of my ability. I'm sure that my hard work will pay off!"

Emotional moment

After battling cancer, his friend Yuvraj Singh is also making a comeback in T20 World Cup, as well as New Zealand (T20) series. To this, Bhajji says: "Yuvi's comeback is an emotional moment for me! I was in Bangalore when we got the news about his cancer, and all of us were stunned! But, it was heartening to see Yuvi fighting his ailment like a true warrior. The entire nation was praying for him, but he fought his cancer all by himself. His fight can inspire many youngsters to face the adversities of life, head-on."

All Olympians : my heroes

Being in England, was he following the Olympics as feverishly as others back home? "We have our practice and gruelling sessions in county cricket, but I was totally clued into India's Olympics run. It was great to see Gagan Narang, Vijay Kumar, Saina Nehwal, Yogeshwar Dutt and Sushil Kumar winning medals for the nation. But, for me, all those who qualified for the Olympics are my heroes, because along with winning, it's equally important to represent your nation at such a platform," says he.

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