The former India off-spinner suggested the names of Saxena, Wakhare and Nadeem.
Harbhajan Singh has come down hard on the national selectors who keep picking Washington Sundar over traditional spinners like Jalaj Saxena and Akshay Wakhare.
Kerala’s Saxena and Vidarbha’s Wakhare have been performing well for their respective teams for a few seasons in the Ranji Trophy but have been ignored continuously by the national selectors. Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is not happy with it and has called the selectors as the main reason that finger spinners are not developing in India.
He told Sportstar, “There is a spinner named Jalaj Saxena (347 FC wickets and 6334 FC runs). They just refuse to consider him. He has been bowling superbly for so many seasons. Wakhare (279 wickets in 83 FC games) is a consistent bowler but no one looks at him. And then you say, spinners are getting lost in Indian cricket. He must have done something good for Vidarbha to have won the Ranji Trophy twice.”
He also questioned the selection of Washington Sundar who tends to not spin the ball very much and lacks the ability to bring the batsman forward and get him out stumped.
“They pick this guy called Washington Sundar, who doesn’t even spin the ball. I just don’t get it. Why don’t you encourage a bowler who bowls genuine spin, who can lure the batsman out and have him stumped. If Washington can bat a bit, so can Jalaj, who is also a proper spinner,” he said.
He also mentioned the name of Jharkhand’s veteran spinner Shahbaz Nadeem, who was picked for a lone Test last year.
“You have to develop these bowlers by giving them confidence. I want to know what wrong has Saxena done? Has he, Wakhare or Shahbaz Nadeem committed a crime by taking wickets?” Harbhajan Singh added.
(With inputs from Sportstar)