Picture Credit: BCCI

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has claimed that MS Dhoni enjoyed backing from BCCI and if others would have received the same backing, many would have gone on to become great cricketers. Harbhajan, who recently announced his retirement from cricket, further added that he could have got “another 100-150 wickets” had he been given a chance to play longer.

“Dhoni had better backing than other players and if the rest of the players would have got the same kind of backing, then they would have played as well. It wasn’t as if the rest of the players forgot to swing a bat or didn’t know how to bowl all of a sudden,” Harbhajan was quoted as saying.

“Luck has always favoured me. Just some external factors were not by my side and maybe, they were completely against me. This is because of the way I was bowling or the rate at which I was moving ahead. I was 31 when I took 400 wickets and if I would have played another 4-5 years, keeping in mind the kind of standards I had set for myself, I can tell you that I would have taken another 100-150 wickets or more,” he said.

Harbhajan had earlier revealed that he was ousted from the national team without being given any reason. Bhajji said that he had asked Dhoni about his removal but received no response from the former Indian skipper.

“I tried to ask the captain [Dhoni] why, but I wasn’t given a reason. I realized there is no point in me asking for the reason for this treatment, and who is behind it because if you keep asking and no one replies, then it’s better to leave it," Harbhajan had said.

Harbhajan last played for Team India in 2016. He was part of the T20 World Cup squad but didn't play a single game. He was dropped from the team for the next series against West Indies and didn't make a comeback.