Individual responsibility to keep game clean: Bhajji

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 27

Ace spinner Harbhajan Singh said that it is the reponsibility of a player to keep away from spot-fixing. No player should do anything which brings disrepute to the game, he added.

“Every player has his own view. I think it is an individual’s responsibility to maintain the sanctity of the game. The game has given everything to me. I cannot even think of doing anything which brings bad name to the game. Cricket is like mother to me. All I can do is request everyone to respect the game,” Harbhajan said while inaugurating his academy at a school here.

The Turbanator, however, refused to comment on the recent acquittal of Sreesanth in the 2013 spot-fixing case.

Speaking about his return to the ODI squad and the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, Singh said, “Obviously, it feels exciting to be back in the national team. I have done a lot of hard work and I am looking forward to the tour.”

The Sri Lanka tourney shall be his second outing with the ODI squad after the recently-concluded Zimbabwe tour.

Speaking about his strategy for the tour, he said, “I just plan to keep things simple and give my best on the field.” The cricketer has also started honing the skills of kids in his academies in the region. “It is our responsibility to do something for the game. It is very satisfying to work with the children in my academies. We are trying to inspire talented students and children from small towns to achieve glory. Last year, the players from our academy toured South Africa. We also keep arranging exchange trips, both in India and abroad, so that the teenagers understand the game better. All big players started off humbly. I remember Sachin Tendulkar saying he used to have only one pair of whites when he started off as a teenager. He would wash it in the night and wear in the morning. At times, the pockets used to be all wet. We all take small steps, it’s the game which makes us big. The sportsmen of the region also have immense capabilities, they just need the right infrastructure.”

About the drug menace in the state, the off-spinner said, “That is what sports are for. Spend days on the field and you won’t get any time for anything else. That’s why my parents always told me to spend maximum time on the ground. When you come back, you are so tired you go to sleep and have no time to think about anything else. It’s important to keep kids busy.”