Harbhajan Singh retires from all formats of cricket- Check full Test/ ODI/ T20I Stats

Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh announced retirement from all forms of cricket on December 24,2021. The cricketer tweeted saying that all good things come to an end and as I bid adieu to the game that has given me everything in life, I would like to thank everyone who made this 23-year-long journey beautiful and memorable.

Harbhajan Singh said in a YouTube video posted alongside his tweet, "Like all cricketers, I too wanted to bid adieu in Indian jersey but fate had something else in store for me."

He said, "I haven't been playing active cricket for quite some time but due to my commitment with Kolkata Knight Riders, I wanted to stay with them in the IPL season but I had made up my mind during the season."

All good things come to an end and today as I bid adieu to the game that has given me everything in life, I would like to thank everyone who made this 23-year-long journey beautiful and memorable.
My heartfelt thank you 🙏 Grateful .https://t.co/iD6WHU46MU

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) December 24, 2021

Harbhajan Singh was the first Indian bowler to bowl a hat-trick in Test cricket. In his almost two decade career that began in 1998, the spinner has taken 417 wickets in 103 Tests, 269 wickets in 236 ODIs and 25 wickets in 28 T20Is. He was also a part of the 2011 ODI World Cup-winning team. He was conferred with India's fourth highest civilian honour- the Padma Shri in 2009. 

Harbhajan Singh Career: From debut in 1998 to IPL

Harbhajan Singh Test Stats

Debut - India vs Australia (March 25, 1998)

Last Test - India vs Sri Lanka (August 12, 2015)

Harbhajan Singh ODI Stats

Debut- India vs New Zealand (April 17, 1998)

Last ODI- India vs South Africa (October 25, 2015) 

Harbhajan Singh T20 Stats

Debut-  India vs South Africa (December 1, 2006) 

Last T20I- India vs UAE ( March 4, 2016)

Harbhajan Singh Test/ ODI/ T20I Stats

Harbhajan Singh has the fourth-highest number of Test wickets by an off-spinner after India's Ravichandran Ashwin and Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan and Rangana Herath. Ravichandran Ashwin surpassed the spinner in number of test wickets recently.

Harbhajan Singh IPL Career

Harbhajan Singh was a part of the Mumbai Indians IPL Team from the inaugural IPL edition in 2008 till 2017. He was the captain of Mumbai Indians when the team had won the 2011 Champions League Twenty20.  He was later picked by Chennai Super Kings for IPL 2018-2019 editions. He was then a part of Kolkata Knight Riders in 2021 IPL Season. 

Harbhajan Singh IPL Stats-

Mumbai Indians- 2008-2017

Chennai Super Kings- 2018-2019

Kolkata Knight Riders - 2021

Harbhajan Singh Controversies

1. After his debut in 1998, Harbhajan Singh's career was affected by investigations into his bowling action. He made a comeback into the team in 2001 following injury of India's leading leg spinner Anil Kumble.

2. He slowly established himself as India's leading spinner by taking 32 wickets in India's series against Australia and also became the first Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in Test cricket. He was offered a a role of a Deputy Superintendent of Police, in Punjab Police by Punjab government due to his cricket performance. The post was later withdrawn due to non-compliance. 

3. A finger injury kept him out mid-2003, allowing Anil Kumble to regain his position as India's leading spinner in Tests and ODI's. Though Singh regained his position in late 2004, he was often left out from the main lineup in Tests with only one spinner - Kumble- being used. Singh was replaced by other spinners after India's early exit from 2007 ODI Cricket World Cup.  

4. He was banned by  International Cricket Council (ICC) in the beginning of 2008 for racially vilifying Andrew Symonds. The ban was revoked later upon appeal. 

5. He was banned from the 2008 IPL season and then suspended from India's ODI squad by the BCCI over a controversy involving him and Sreesanth, when he had slapped the later after a match.