As a youngster I used to look up to Harbhajan who is a spinner and wears a 'Patka': Monty Panesar

By Vivek Prabhakar Singh
London [UK], December 25 (ANI): Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has announced retirement from all forms of cricket and tributes and wishes are pouring in from all corners for 'Turbanator'. Monty Panesar, the first Indian-origin Sikh cricketer, was inspired by Harbhajan as a youngster.
"He is one of the great spinners I have always admired and even when I was a youngster. You look up to someone as a youngster who looks like you, who is a spinner, who wears a patka, plays for India and I thought, maybe, I can do the same. He was a huge inspiration for me. " Monty Panesar told ANI.
Harbhajan Singh has represented India in 103 Test matches, 236 ODIs and 28 T20Is. For former England cricketer Monty Panesar it was the 2001 Test series against the then mighty Australia that shot him to fame.
"It is great to see Indian 'Turbanator' have such a successful career. I think people are going to remember him for the 2001 Test series against Australia which was sort of his introduction to international cricket and it was a phenomenal series. He is one of the most successful bowlers in all formats for India among spinners," Monty Panesar said.
Harbhajan Singh has retired after scalping 417 wickets in 103 Tests at an average of 32.46. The member of 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 World Cup-winning teams is also the first Indian to scalp a test hat-trick.
Overall, Jalandhar-born cricketer has played 367 international games and claimed 711 international wickets and scored 3,569 international runs.
Harbhajan played his last red-ball match against Sri Lanka in 2015 and his last ODI was against South Africa in the same year. His last game for India was a T20I against UAE in the 2016 Asia Cup. (ANI)