'Virat Kohli doesn't give IPL contracts' - Harbhajan Singh hits back at Michael Clarke over his recent comments

Michael Clarke is regarded as one of the most successful Australian batsmen and skippers. After bidding adieu to the game in 2015, Clarke has plied his trade in many commentary jobs around the globe. He has been dishing out his opinion on various issues but his recent comment regarding Australian players didn’t go down well with many cricketers.

The former Australian skipper said that no Aussie player tries to sledge the Indian captain Virat Kohli as they are too scared. Clarke also added that the players are scared that they won’t get a lucrative IPL contract if they sledge the Indian skipper.

“Everybody knows how powerful India are in regards to the financial part of the game, internationally or domestically with the IPL,” Clarke said on Sky’s Big Sports Breakfast.

“I feel that Australian cricket, and probably every other team over a little period, went the opposite and actually sucked up to India,” added Clarke.

Clarke’s controversial statement didn’t go down well with many prominent members of the cricketing fraternity. Many senior cricketers dismissed Clarke’s opinion and stated that avoiding to sledge Virat Kohli doesn’t guarantee an IPL contract.

‘Every franchise has right to buy whoever they want’: Harbhajan Singh

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has also opined over the issue and has stated that Virat Kohli does not give contract to all players. The off-spinner also added that Clarke should’ve named the Aussie players who fear for their contracts.

Harbhajan also expressed that every IPL franchise has the right to buy whoever they want. Being in Kohli’s good books won’t affect the auction value or the contract value of a player. According to Harbhajan, a player gets picked to play in the tournament only on the basis of his on-field performance.

“Virat Kohli does not give contracts to all! If you’re good enough nobody will stop you. Someone like (David) Warner or (Steve) Smith…how can you stop them? They don’t need to fear for their contracts. I don’t know if at all he felt there are guys (who fear for their contracts), he should have named them. But I don’t think putting everyone on the same boat is right,” said Harbhajan as quoted by the Times of India.

“Every franchise has right to buy whoever they want to buy. They know who can win them games. If they will do well, they will have better chance to get picked. So it won’t make a difference if you are in Virat’s good books or any other player’s good books. On the contrary, if someone gets Virat out four times under 10 runs, he will say…pick him,” he added.