"That small regret will be there" - Harbhajan Singh on KKR not playing at the Eden Gardens
Harbhajan Singh has expressed slight regret over the fact that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) won't be playing at the Eden Gardens in IPL 2021.
The wily off-spinner was acquired by the Eoin Morgan-led side at the IPL 2021 Auction. However, with none of the franchises playing matches at their home ground, he will not get an opportunity to display his wares at the iconic venue in Kolkata.
During a discussion on Star Sports, Harbhajan Singh observed he would have been happier if he had got to play at the Eden Gardens, his happy hunting ground.
"I have very good memories from Eden - Test cricket, ODI cricket - whatever cricket I have played there, even the two titles we had won there for the Mumbai Indians. That is a special ground for me and there will be no cricket there, that small regret will be there but it is an opportunity for me as a player to just go out and be happy about playing cricket," said Singh.
Harbhajan Singh, who expressed his happiness about the IPL being staged in India, is eager to exhibit his skills on the cricket field again.
"Whether the match is in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai or Mumbai, I am feeling good that the IPL is happening in India and we are not going to Dubai or any other place because it is our festival and as a player I am looking forward to it. IPL is a tournament which everyone waits for, whether it is the players or the spectators. For a player like me who only plays the IPL, the desire to play is going to get fulfilled," added Harbhajan Singh.
The Kolkata Knight Riders are scheduled to play their league stage encounters in Chennai, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Bangalore.
I am very thankful to Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings: Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh also expressed his gratitude to the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings, the two franchises he represented before moving to KKR.
"This is my third team for whom I am going to play. I am very thankful to the Mumbai Indians for whom I played for the first ten years, I learnt a lot from them. Same amount of thanks to the Chennai Super Kings as well. I had a three-year contract, played for two years, could not go last year because of Covid and my personal reasons," said Singh.
The 40-year-old signed off by stating that he is hopeful of winning the IPL title with the Kolkata-based franchise, just as he had done with his previous two teams.
"I am excited to be associated to a third big team, the speciality is I have been associated with the teams who have won the championship. Hopefully I will go just out there and play the way I have played always and try and lift the cup for KKR," concluded Harbhajan Singh.
Harbhajan Singh is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in IPL history. He will hope to add to his tally of 150 scalps in the upcoming edition of the T20 tournament.