Harbhajan Singh vs. Anil Kumble: Who Was Better?
They were team-mates with India for a number of years and bowled their side to victory on many occasions, but there is a debate to be had about whether Harbhajan Singh or Anil Kumble was the better bowler.
Both brought different strengths and variety to the team, with Harbhajan an off-spinner and Kumble a leg-spinner, while they also shared some things in common too.
Neither tried particularly to deceive batsmen in the air with their flight, while they both found a great deal of success at home on the turning, dusty pitches of India.
Their achievements with the ball are notable, with both having made a big impact on the international stage.
That raises the question: Which of them was the greatest in the Test match arena?
Let’s try to find out.
Statistics
| Player | Tests | Wickets | Bowling average | Strike rate | BBI | BBM |
| Kumble | 132 | 619 | 29.65 | 65.9 | 10-74 | 14-149 |
| Singh | 101 | 413 | 32.37 | 68.5 | 8-84 | 15-217 |
On those figures alone, Kumble is the better bowler, with Harbhajan unfortunately coming in second place.
Kumble has taken more than 200 more wickets in Test matches in slightly more games at a better average and strike rate.
His best bowling performance in a single innings exceeds Harbhajan, although the off-spinner does take victory in one category—best bowling performance in a single match.
That record of 15 for 217 came against Australia in Chennai in 2001, when he took seven for 133 in the first innings and eight for 84 in the second to help India to victory by two wickets.
It is worth noting that on the all-time wicket-takers list for Test matches, Kumble is the second-leading leg-spinner, while Harbhajan is the second-leading off-spinner.
They trail Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan, respectively, so are definitely in exulted company among their peers.
However, on the strength of his numbers alone, Kumble is the victor in this particular category.
Advantage: Kumble
Greatest Moments
Both players have had moments in the spotlight, with their greatest achievements coming at vital times for their teams, and both are sure to be remembered for decades to come.
We start with Kumble, who put his name in immortality in 1999 in the second Test against Pakistan in Delhi.
The visitors began their second innings requiring a mammoth 420 to win on a turning, bouncy and dusty pitch, which aided Kumble and his particular method of bowling.
He would take 10 for 74 in 26.3 overs, a spectacular achievement that helped India bowl their opponents out for just 207 and level the series at 1-1.
Kumble became just the second player to take all 10 wickets in an innings, after England off-spinner Jim Laker in 1956.
His brilliance may well be replicated, but it is such a rarity that it could never happen again in a Test.
Meanwhile, Harbhajan always seemed to raise his game for the series against Australia, and his effort in 2001 saw him do just that.
During the famous Kolkata Test in which India won by 171 runs after being asked to follow on, the off-spinner gained some fame of his own as he took a hat-trick in the first innings.
By dismissing Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne with three consecutive deliveries, he wrote his name into the record books as the first Indian to achieve such a feat.
Since then, only one other bowler has picked up a hat-trick for India in a Test—Irfan Pathan against Pakistan in 2006.
In conclusion, both these crowning achievements are noteworthy, but Kumble’s just beats out Harbhajan’s for being more so.
Taking 10 wickets in an innings is an extraordinary feat that has happened just twice in Test match history, so Kumble wins this round, too.
Advantage: Kumble
Away From Bowling
Both Kumble and Harbhajan had roles to play for their team beyond bowling, be that with the bat or in the field.
Kumble is notable for being a steady if unspectacular batsman, who was good enough to make one Test century and five half-centuries while also being a steadying influence at the crease.
That century came against England at The Oval in 2007.
Harbhajan, meanwhile, scored centuries on two occasions—in consecutive games against New Zealand in 2010.
He also tallied nine half-centuries, although his batting average of 18.35 is very close to Kumble’s final average of 17.77.
One thing is for certain, though: both players worked very hard at their batting.
A final aspect to examine is their demeanor and efforts away from batting or bowling in the field, as both differ slightly in this area.
Kumble quickly assumed the position of senior bowler in the India team even as their superstar batsmen dominated, and he was rewarded with the captaincy in late 2007.
He may have been 37 years old, and been in the side for 17 years, but it showed the respect he was held in by his peers and the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Meanwhile, Harbhajan had a slightly different time of it in a non-bowling or batting capacity, and his career was marred by one incident in particular against Australia.
On India’s tour of Australia in 2008, he had a run-in with Baggy Green bowler Andrew Symonds, with the hosts subsequently accusing Harbhajan of making offensive comments.
He was banned by the International Cricket Council for three Tests but later saw that suspension rescinded on appeal.
However, it left a sour taste in the mouths of all concerned, even to this day.
With all that in mind, Kumble has the advantage from this round too, albeit by a very slim margin.
Advantage: Kumble.
Conclusions
Based on these findings, Kumble was the better player, but it is a difficult comparison to make given the importance of both players to India’s team.
His sheer amount of wickets speaks for itself in many ways, especially as he managed to pick them up on a very consistent basis.
However, Harbhajan was also very important for India, especially as part of a bowling tandem that saw the pair bring very different skills and attributes.
They will both be remembered as key performers for India, regardless of any conclusions here.
