Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh didn’t hold back when responding to Mohammad Amir’s jibe at Abhishek Sharma. The Pakistani ex-pacer labeled the rising Indian star a ‘slogger,’ but Bhajji countered that defining real sloggers would irk plenty in the cricket fraternity.
‘Abhishek is a quality act,’ Harbhajan emphasized. ‘He turns games on their head repeatedly with his full repertoire of shots. That’s not slogging; that’s mastery.’ He contrasted this with batsmen who flail without timing, insisting Sharma’s consistency sets him apart.
Touching on India-Pakistan tensions, Bhajji shrugged off handshake debates post-Asia Cup snubs. ‘It’s up to the players—no one’s forcing gestures. Just compete fiercely and respect the game.’
Reflecting on recent outings, he commended India’s recovery against USA thanks to Surya’s fireworks and their Namibia rout. ‘We need the skipper to fire big too,’ he added. Pitch-wise, Bhajji predicted a run-fest favoring batsmen, though seam movement could play early.
As anticipation builds for World Cup battles, Harbhajan’s words underscore Abhishek’s potential to anchor massive Indian innings, silencing critics in the process.