Harbhajan Singh Reveals Untold Story Behind His NCA Expulsion in 2000
NEW DELHI: Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has recently shed light on a pivotal, yet controversial, incident that led to his expulsion from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru back in the year 2000. The legendary off-spinner, known for his fiery on-field persona, recounts a tale of frustration stemming from a discrepancy between prescribed dietary plans and the food actually served to trainees.
Harbhajan, who was among the inaugural batch of trainees at the NCA, detailed how his repeated complaints about the subpar food quality, which did not align with the officially displayed diet charts, went unaddressed. This culminated in an act of protest that, according to him, was later used as the grounds for his removal from the prestigious academy.
Harbhajan Explains What Happened
The veteran cricketer explained that the NCA had a stringent and expert-designed diet plan for its aspiring cricketers. However, the practical implementation of this plan left much to be desired. “The NCA had a fixed diet plan for its trainees, but the food served did not follow the chart. According to him, repeated complaints did not lead to any change,” Harbhajan stated, outlining the core of the issue.
His frustration, he admits, eventually reached a boiling point, leading him to tear up the official diet chart.
“Waha se mujhe nikaal diya gaya. Woh meri galti nahi thi. Main aaj bhi is baat ko khule aam kehta hoon, kyunki woh hamara haq tha. Jo hamara khaana tha, woh achha nahi tha. [They removed me from there. It was not my mistake, I say this openly even today. It was our right. The food was not good there],” the former India spinner revealed on cricketnextofficial.
“Wahan jo rules aur regulations the, woh yahi the ki humein bahut kuch padhaya ja raha tha, sikhaya ja raha tha. Ek chart lagaya tha, jismein tha ki ye diet honi chahiye, expert ki diet ke hisaab se humein woh diet milni chahiye. Lekin woh khaana mil nahi raha tha. [Back then, the rules and regulations were such that we were told and taught a lot, and a chart was put up for the diet. But we were not getting food as per that diet. Despite complaining many times, the food did not improve. So one day I tore that chart. This was my only mistake, that I tore the chart],” Harbhajan elaborated, providing context to his actions.
Harbhajan firmly believes that his assertive stand was a necessary catalyst for change. He argued that without someone taking such a visible action, the dietary issues might have persisted indefinitely. “But maybe till someone does something like this, things don’t change. I was fighting for the rights. If I had not stood up, even today the same diet plan would have been followed. The plan changed, I was also removed, that is a different thing, but it was not my fault. There were some people in the BCCI who did not want someone who could stand up and question them,” Harbhajan added, hinting at deeper administrative frictions.
Despite this early setback in his career development at the NCA, Harbhajan Singh transcended the challenges to forge an illustrious international career. He is widely regarded as one of India’s most successful spin bowlers, representing his country from 1998 to 2016. His career statistics are a testament to his enduring talent and resilience.
He concluded his international journey with an impressive tally of more than 700 wickets across all formats. In Test cricket, he played 103 matches, securing 417 wickets, which included 25 five-wicket hauls and five remarkable 10-wicket match hauls.
His prowess extended to One Day Internationals, where he claimed 269 wickets in 236 appearances, featuring three five-wicket hauls. Additionally, he played 28 T20Is, taking 25 wickets, showcasing his adaptability across different formats of the game.
