'A Difficult But Honourable Stand'

A day after Lancashire cancelled their contract with Harbhajan Singh for reportedly failing a"fitness test", the off-spinner said it was he who took the decision against joining the county side after he found his injured finger still swelling a bit.

Harbhajan said he took the "difficult but honourable stand befitting a good professional" as he did not want Lancashire to be stranded mid-way through the county season.

"I am not the one who let people down and I didn't want a situation where I could have stranded Lancashire midwaythrough the season," he said over the phone from Mumbai.

The ace off-spinner was all set to join Lancashire county staff yesterday but he thought it fit to bowl in the nets andsee how his injured hand was responding to the strain.

To his disappointment, he found it swelling up and he didn't take a minute to arrive at the decision.

"It wouldn't have been ethical if I had still gone ahead and played for the county. After all, how could I have beensure it wouldn't play up in the middle of the county season?

"Besides, I have to be sure any cricket decision I take suits me and above all my country as nothing comes above thanplaying for India and ensuring I serve its interest to the best of my ability," he said.

He said with India scheduled to meet Australia and New Zealand in the coming months, he felt it necessary to stayfit.

"India has tough assignments in the next season with opponents like New Zealand and Australia and it is in everyone's interest that I am not found wanting."

Harbhajan said even though he now has lost a lucrative contract and a chance to hone his skills to bowl on largely unresponsive tracks, he at least was being fair to his county, country and himself.

"By doing this honourable thing and informing Lancashire of my decision, I was being fair to them, my country andmyself."

The bowler is now willing to put himself under the scanner again and if need be go under a surgeon's knife in order toget back to his usual top fitness.

"I am now in Mumbai and will meet Dr (Anant) Joshi to seek his expertise on the matter. I will do whatever heguides me -- whether to undergo surgery or seek an expert help in some other country."

Harbhajan has had pain in his bowling finger for quite some time now because of his unusual tight and spreadbowling grip -- causing a maximum possible gap to occur between his thumb and index finger.

He was literally dragged to play in the TVS Cup in Dhaka by his skipperSaurav Ganguly in April but no sooner the event was over, he went to South Africa to seek expert medicalopinion and was relieved to learn he didn't need a surgery but only an extended rest to get his troublesome hand behavingagain.

He then submitted himself to an extended break, hardly touching a cricket ball and delaying his stintwith Lancashiretill this month. 

Lancashire, on their part, were equally understanding. It is a measure of how badly they wanted "Bhajji" that eventhough the season was well and truly underway, they still wanted to wait till the last minute to accommodate the Indianbowler.

English counties usually don't jeopardise their prospects by waiting endlessly for their overseas pro to turn up, butLancashire was willing to wait for the off-spinner because of Harbhajan's extremely sociable and friendly outlook whichwould have helped in promoting cricket among Asians.

"Obviously, we are extremely disappointed by the fact Harbhajan wouldn't be playing for us. But he's been fair to usand we wish him a speedy recovery," Lancashire cricket manager Mike Watkinson said.

Lancashire in all likelihood will now extend the contract of former West Indian captain Carl Hooper till the end of theseason. Hooper till now was playing as a stop-gap arrangement for Lancashire in Harbhajan's absence.

As India's next assignment is against the touring New Zealanders in October, Harbhajan would get over threemonths time to completely recover from the injury.

"I believe whatever happens, happens for the best. I've now more than three months to get back to top fitness and Iwould go to any length to ensure it happens.

"I'm sorry about missing out on Lancashire. Not because I've lost a lucrative contract but due to the fact that theywere so full of understanding and I would've loved to help them in their campaign," Harbhajansaid.

"I wish them best of luck. If I'm fit and at the top of my game, who knows, we mightbe together in future."

PTI