by Administrator
10. September 2009 12:55
Harbhajan Singh found himself in a fresh controversy after jabbing at a photographer at the Bangalore International Airport before leaving for the tri-series in Sri Lanka.
The feisty off-spinner, who very often finds himself in the news for all the wrong reasons, jabbed at a cameraman after the camera had hit him on the head while he was taking his luggage out from a car before entering the airport.
Harbhajan gave an angry stare at the cameraman even as a security personnel tried to push back the hordes of lensmen who had virtually mobbed the cricketer. The 29-year-old Punjab spinner has a rather dubious disciplinary record, having been penalised for various offences during his career.
Harbhajan was accused of racially abusing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds in Sydney and the 2007 'monkey-gate' incident snowballed into a major crisis, threatening to tear apart the cricketing world.
by Administrator
10. September 2009 12:54
A coy Virender Sehwag does not want to lead the Indian cricket team but his feisty teammate Harbhajan Singh does, saying it’s a challenge worth a try.
Sehwag has already informed the selectors about his reluctance and requested them to groom someone for future. Harbhajan, on his part, said incumbent Mahendra Singh Dhoni is doing an excellent job at the helm but he made no bones about his own ambition, saying he would not shy away if Team India captaincy ever comes his way.
“Whoever plays for India wants to lead the side at some stage and it’s no different with me. At the end of the day, it’s a huge honour for a player,” Harbhajan said. The star off-spinner, however, gave thumbs-up to Dhoni’s captaincy and said, “At the moment, Dhoni is doing a fantastic job and there is no doubt that he is a brilliant skipper.”
Harbhajan was seen in the captain’s role in the recent BCCI Corporate Trophy where he led Air India Blue to the final and the spinner said he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. “Leading Air India Blue in Corporate Trophy was obviously a good experience. Of course you learn more and more with time but I certainly enjoyed it. It was a challenge for me which I accepted and enjoyed to the hilt,” said the 29-year-old offie.
Incidentally, Dhoni played under Harbhajan in the tournament and also rolled his arms for three unsuccessful overs in the final. Talking about captaincy, one thing that baffles Harbhajan is the myth that bowlers make inferior captains and more often than not, the job goes to a batsman. “I don’t know why batsmen are traditionally preferred for the captain’s job. I mean if you have good leadership skills, it should not matter whether you are a batsman or a bowler.
Your ability to lead should be the lone criterion,” he said. “Imran Khan was primarily a bowler when he took over captaincy and did a great job with Pakistan. And look at (New Zealand captain Daniel) Vettori today. He has been doing so well for quite a while. So how come people perceive captaincy a job beyond the bowlers?” Harbhajan asked. Harbhajan acknowledged captaincy is a full-time responsibility when he would have to plan for others as well but said he can handle the pressure that comes with the job.
by Administrator
10. September 2009 12:53
New York September 10:
On a visit in New York, Home Minister P Chidambaram had a first-hand experience of how the US' financial capital, which is on the terror radar, is protected by security agencies from terrorist attacks.
Chidambaram, who arrived in New York on the first leg of his four-day US visit on Tuesday, was briefed by officials from FBI, intelligence and security agencies and New York Police about the measures being taken by them to prevent any Mumbai-type terrorist attacks.
From walking at the Penn Station, which handles thousands of train passengers every day, to a briefing by the New York Police, which had made several changes in its counter-terrorism measures post-26/11 attacks, Chidambaram and his team of officials got to know how a mega city like New York can be protected from terrorists without causing much inconvenience to its residents.
Chidambaram was also told about the coast guard facility at State Island. It was an important aspect of his trip given that the terrorists who attacked Mumbai on November 26 last year entered Mumbai through the sea route. Coastal security is now considered an integral part of New York's counter-terrorism mechanism.
Within hours of his landing in Big Apple, Chidambaram was at the Joint Terror Task Force Centre of the FBI in New York where he was given an exclusive briefing by the New York Police Department on the steps being taken by them to protect the city. Before Chidambaram left New York by train for Washington, he was briefed about the security of the Mass Transport System at the Penn station as security officials went through the procedure of random frisking and searching of passengers.
In Washington, Chidambaram will meet with top officials of the Obama Administration, heads of intelligence and security agencies and influential lawmakers over the next three days. The visit is aimed at carrying forward the dialogue with US with regard to assessment of the security situation in South Asia, understanding the Counter-Terrorism institutions and structures in US as well as meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and senior officials.
The visit is also significant in the context of India's continued appeal to the international community to exert pressure on Pakistan to take firm action towards dismantling of the terror infrastructure in that country as well as prosecution of all accused in the Mumbai attacks who are now in Pakistan. Chidambaram will also be discussing issues related to combating financing of terrorism and steps which will need to be taken in this regard as well as with regard to prevention of money laundering.