Want to win Champions League T20 for Sachin Tendulkar: Harbhajan Singh

His name was recently linked with this year's edition of the hot television reality show, the Bigg Boss. He was in the news because his girl-friend, Bollywood actress Geeta Basra, was reportedly behind the folding up of his production company even before it started. Harbhajan Singh has been in the news for all reasons, except cricket. But with Champions League T20 looming, the feisty off-spinner is back in news as the 33-year-old still has lofty cricketing dreams in his eyes.

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Is Harbhajan really keen to resurrect his international career? At a time when his contemporaries Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan and Virender Sehwag are exploring all options to regain their Team India berths, has Harbhajan taken things too lightly? If the 'Turbanator' is to be believed, his aspiration to play for India remains high on his list of priorities. But for now, his entire focus is going to be on the Champions League and he wants to win the tournament for Sachin Tendulkar.

In an interview to a leading newspaper, Harbhajan said: "Right now, my aim is to do well for Mumbai Indians. We have been playing together for a few years now, we have won the IPL and this will be Sachin Tendulkar's last Mumbai Indians' stint. So, we are all looking forward to it."

It was against the Australians in March this year that Harbhajan last played a Test match. His last ODI was in June 2011. With 413 wickets in 101 Test matches, Harbhajan's huge experience is undeniable but with national selectors focusing on a combination of form, fitness and youth, he seems to have lost out to the younger spinners like Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Pragyan Ojha and Amit Mishra. But 'Bhajji' is not worried about competition.

"The only competition I believe in is with myself. I know that if I am good at my craft, I will do well. And, I don't dwell in the past. Yes, 100 Tests was memorable, but it's history for me. I believe in looking forward and I sincerely believe that I can take 150 more Test wickets," says Harbhajan.

Confident about his abilities, Harbhajan feels his time-tested bowling formula still has a lot of value. "I have done well following a certain recipe all these years and I am trying to perfect those. The stock ball, the variations, the line and length - I am working on every aspect of my game," he says.

Harbhajan feels a stint in County cricket was unnecessary. At a time when Gautam Gambhir (Essex) and Piyush Chawla (Somerset) are spending time in English cricket, Harbhajan chose to holiday in the US. "I have played County cricket before. I know my priorities and I am well aware of what I am supposed to do. If I thought County was the best option for me, I would have done that," the spunky spinner said.

Harbhajan is in no hurry to rush his international comeback. He surely is taking one step at a time. A good showing in the Champions League will surely bring him back into the reckoning. There is a bit of lost ground to cover in the next few weeks.