They might have lost the T20I series to South Africa but spinner Harbhajan Singh on Wednesday said it’s too early to write them off as the hosts are keen to turn around their fortunes in the last and final match on Thursday.
“We have lost the series but we still have a lot to play in the final game. Hopefully we will win tomorrow and from there onward it could be a different story,” Harbhajan told reporters on the eve of the match.
“The ODIs are coming up and then the Tests. We want to play our best game tomorrow and we want to put up our best show. Once we start winning we will be a difficult side to beat.”
After the T20I series, India and South Africa play five ODIs followed by four Tests in a long 72-day Freedom Series.
Citing example of the recently-concluded Test series in Sri lanka where India bounced back to win the series after losing the first match, Harbhajan said: “It was because of the belief that we had. Every game is a challenge for us from here on. Yes we have lost the series and we didn’t play as well as we should have but Eden is always a very special ground for all of us.
“Obviously winning here will mean a lot to us. We will go out there and give it our best shot. If we win here, we will take that confidence into the ODI series,” he said.
India failed to defend 200 in the first T20I Dharamsala, while in the last match they were skittled out for their second lowest total of 92 to concede a decisive 0-2 lead to the visitors.
Harbhajan, who is India’s highest wicket-taking offspinner, said it’s about backing their spinners ahead of the World Twenty20.
“I think it is important to back the players who are probably the best for the format. This has been the quality of this team; they have stuck to the players who they believe can win the game.
“That is what we need to do as a team. We need to reunite ourselves and give our best performance.”
looking ahead to the World Twenty20, Harbhajan said spinners would play a crucial role if they’re to regain the title.
“Spin has been India’s strength and obviously we will be playing the competition in India and lot of the tracks will be supporting the slower bowlers,” Harbhajan said.
“If you see the records in the IPl, mostly spinners are the ones who take a lot of wickets and control the runs in the middle. T20 is all about taking wickets rather than just restricting the batsmen. I think spinners have a major role to play if India has to win the World T20.”