Harbhajan: India Not Distracted By Ganguly Retiring

Harbhajan: India Not Distracted By Ganguly Retiring

Harbhajan Singh (left) celebrates a wicket with Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

©REUTERS/Adnan Abidi (INDIA) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh does not believe that the retirement of former captain Saurav Ganguly will affect India's performance in the fourth and final Test against Australia in Nagpur.

The match, Ganguly's 113th and last, begins tomorrow with India taking a 1-0 series lead into the match.

"I don't think it will be a distraction. We will focus on cricket, simple," Harbhajan said at a news conference.

"We are looking forward to playing some good cricket, which is what we have been doing in this series, and we are looking to finish this series 2-0," he added.

Harhbajan himself will return to the side after missing the third Test in New Delhi, which was drawn, with a toe injury. The opening match in Bangalore was also drawn before India won by 320 runs in Mohali.

"I am 100 percent fit to play," he confirmed.

Harbhajan is one short of 300 Test wickets and will take over the mantle as senior spinner following the retirement of Anil Kumble.

"It (Kumble's) will be very big shoes to fill," Harbhajan said.

"We all know his contribution to Indian cricket and the number of matches he has won," he said of test cricket's third highest wicket-taker.

"At the same time there are young bowlers, like Amit Mishra, who now have a chance to claim a permanent place in the team. They are good bowlers and are doing well."

Mishra took seven wickets on debut in Mohali when he replaced the injured Kumble. The Nagpur Test will also be the 100th Test for VVS Laxman, who scored an unbeaten 200 in New Delhi.

© Cricket World 2008