Would be nicer if boundaries are farther in IPL, feels Harbhajan Singh

The 10th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is right around the corner and the build up to the tournament has begun. Many players have started giving interviews for the tournament and veteran Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh is no exception either. In a recent conversation, the Punjab lad talked about the challenges the bowlers face in the shortest format of the game, especially in tournaments like the IPL.

As per the quotes in the Hindustan Times, Harbhajan Singh opined that IPL is a difficult tournament for bowlers. However, if the boundaries can be pushed farther, it can make things easy for the bowlers too.

“It is very hard to be a bowler in the IPL. On such batting wickets, it is hard to contain a batsman. Haan, agar thodi boundaries badi ho jaayein toh acha hoga (if the boundaries get a bit farther, it will be good). Or, if they can make pitches that help the bowlers more than the batsmen, then it will be an even match,” Harbhajan said jokingly.

However, the veteran cricketer is not shy of taking up the challenge anyway. The off-spinner, who plays for the Mumbai Indians in the tournament, said that such things must be taken as challenges by the bowlers. Calling the conditions being difficult is only a poor excuse a bowler can give. The players must be up and ready for all adversities.

“You have to take it as a challenge. You can’t say that it is difficult, and use it as an excuse to not perform. A sportsman must have the passion to perform, whatever the conditions or circumstances might be,” he added.

In the ongoing India and Australia Test series, the tempers have been soaring high with the off-field and on-field clashes being on the rise. Commenting on this, the offie believes that the tournament like IPL has helped players get closer and become better friends. He believes all the fights on the field are nothing but friendly banters and short lived too.

“After IPL, players from different countries have become friends, and the tension in international games is not what it used to be. And even if there is something, it’s nothing but light hearted banter,” believes Harbhajan Singh.