Aussies can’t bowl sides out twice: Harbhajan

Indo-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI - Harbhajan Singh has always relished taking on the combative Australians and the Indian off-spinner could not hide his happiness at the Baggy Greens surrendering the Ashes to England.

“Mubarak ho! (Congratulations),” replied Harbhajan, in his inimitable style, when asked to react on Australia’s loss to England and their slide to fourth position from the top of the Test rankings.

“They have been a dominant side in world cricket for a long time. It’s good that other teams are challenging them. England played really well and they deserved to win.”

Harbhajan said the Australians’ decline started after the retirement of bowling greats Shane Warne and Glenn McGarth.

“I think the absence of McGrath and Warne is hurting them badly. They were the two pillars of the Australian team,” Harbhajan commented during the unveiling of the Sri Lanka Tri-series trophy here.

“They still have good players but without McGrath and Warne it’s not the same side. Test cricket is all about taking 20 wickets and at present Australia is not able to do that. They need wicket-taking bowlers. I think they will take some time to build up the team.”

Asked whether Australia should have played specialist spinner Nathan Hauritz in the last Test at Oval, Harbhajan’s repartee had the audience in splits.

“I did not see all the matches. But the way the ball was turning in the last Test, I think Australia would not have lost had I bowled for