Star offie negates Ian Chappell's concerns of India not staying as the number one test team due to instability in their bowling line-up

Our bowling is not a worry, says Harbhajan Singh

Star offie negates Ian Chappell's concerns of India not staying as the number one test team due to instability in their bowling line-up

Australia great Ian Chappell has triggered off a debate with his comment that India will struggle to stay at No 1 on the Test charts due to a weakness in their bowling attack.

Senior member of the Indian bowling attack, Harbhajan Singh however believes India's climb to the top has been the result of some fine showing outside the sub-continent.

The Indians celebrate the dismissal of Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara on Day Five of the third Test at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai in December, 2009.

The Indian spin spearhead said getting wickets was never a weakness of Indian teams when playing in foreign countries. It was lack of runs on the board.

Speaking to MiD DAY after his team achieved the No 1 Test ranking, Harbhajan said: "It's about putting runs on the board. If you have 400 runs on the board, it becomes a different ball game.
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It becomes easy for the bowling unit to put pressure because they have a target. You can put pressure with attacking bowling, having fielders in catching positions.

"Whenever we had runs on the board, bowlers have done well. If we have only 200 runs then it is not easy to bowl out the opposition below 200 every time.

We have got the No 1 spot because we have batted, bowled and caught well." India kick off their two-Test series against Bangladesh in Chittagong on Sunday.

All's well

Harbhajan felt the future bodes well for India as its bowling bench strength has never been as good. "It has been a consistent performance by all the bowlers.

Even people who are sitting out have come in and done well whenever they have got the chance. RP Singh bowled a brilliant spell in Sydney.

We bowled well in Australia. Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan bowled well as a pair. In the Test series against Sri Lanka, S Sreesanth formed a good partnership with Zaheer.

India always had good spinners. With Anilbhai (Kumble) bowling from one end, the other bowlers job became easier," added Harbhajan.

India bagged the top ranking from Australia after beating Sri Lanka 2-0 in the three-Test series at home last month. The Indians jumped from No 3 to No 1 for first time since the rankings came into place in May 2001.

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