'The hat-trick is the high-point of my career'

Rifat Jawaid in Calcutta

Harbhajan Singh, India's hero on the day one of the second Test match against Australia, expressed surprise when told he was the first Indian ever to have got a hat-trick in a Test.

The Punjab spinner thanked his skipper for reposing faith in him even when he was hit all over by the Aussies in the first two sessions.

Singh confessed that even after sending Ponting and Gilchrist back in successive deliveries, he had little hope of achieving the unique feat.

Reminscing on his strategy, Singh said, "I flighted the ball while bowling to Ponting. He (Ponting) misjudged it and ended up throwing his wicket. I maintained the same line and length even while bowling to Gilchrist. Like Ponting, he too failed to read the flight and played back. But, when Warne came to the crease, Sachin suggested that I shouldn't change my line. He said, ' Line change mat karna, yeah bhi jald jaayega (don't change your line, he too would depart soon)'. Thankfully, Ramesh took a splendid catch giving me my first hat-trick."

He said had it not been his captain Saurav Ganguly's faith in him, he wouldn't have regained confidence after being battered brutally in the first two sessions of the day.

The young off spinner attributed his success to the Almighty adding that he was satisfied to live up to the expectations of his team.

"This is what cricket is all about. Sometimes, you are hit mercilessly, but the good bowlers are those who bounce back. When the Aussies were hitting me all over the ground, I had begun feeling low. But all changed dramatically after the three wickets."

"Bowlers play an important role in any team's performance. I am thankful to both Anil Kumble and coach John Wright who helped me a lot in the Madras camp before the start of Test series," Singh added.

About the nature of the Eden track, Singh said that though the pitch was conducive to batsman earlier in the day with balls coming easily to the bat, the wicket began playing slowly especially in the post-tea session.

According to the young spinner, Sunday's performance was the best of his cricket career adding that his hat-trick came on a placid wicket, which had no turn at all.

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