‘Do You Think I’m Jealous Of You?’ Harbhajan Asks Ashwin In Direct Chat

Harbhajan Singh might have retired from international cricket years back, but he’s been in the news constantly over the past few years thanks to his strong social media presence.

Someone known to not mince his words, Harbhajan came under fire for a Tweet he posted during India’s home series against New Zealand last year, where he claimed ‘anyone can get anyone out on these kinds of pitches’. Many people interpreted Harbhajan’s statement as a direct shot at his successor Ravichandran Ashwin.

The 45-year-old finally broke silence over the matter, and cleared the air over his relationship with Ashwin in a direct chat with the latter.

“Do you think I’m jealous of you?,” Harbhajan asked Ashwin directly in an interview on the latter’s YouTube channel. 

“You are sitting with me today, and we have spoken at length. Do you think I’m that kind of a person?”.

Ashwin did not directly say ‘no’, and instead responded by saying: “Even if you were jealous at one point in time, it’s justified. That is my point and I will never take it wrong. Because we are all human and naturally we’re bound to be like that. Some people think I retired because Washington Sundar is in the scheme of things now. All this is the perspective of other people.”

Harbhajan further added: “I just wanted to make one point very clear. When you came into the side and we were playing two spinners, I knew you’d be the one playing for a longer period of time. As a senior, did I think of you as a competition? Probably yes. I felt that I had to step up my game. But we’re sitting here today, and I think everything happens for a reason.”