Brett Lee reveals how Harbhajan Singh's relentless sledging pushed him to his limits: 'You're a bloody…'

Lee and Harbhajan have had a longstanding rivalry in several iconic India-Australia series. From the intense 2007/08 Border-Gavaskar Trophy to the competitive CB series in the same year, and the high-stakes 2011 World Cup quarterfinal, their battles on the field have been nothing short of legendary. One of the standout moments in their rivalry was Australia's historic Test series win in India in 2004, where both players showcased their exceptional bowling skills. However, one aspect that has often been highlighted is Lee's struggles against Harbhajan. It has been suggested that the Indian spinner's tactics, including engaging in verbal banter, played a significant role in getting under Lee's skin and disrupting his rhythm. After Lee admitted to being affected by Harbhajan's chatter on the field, it became evident that the spinner's mind games were indeed effective in gaining an upper hand over the Australian fast bowler.

"Harbhajan Singh. I hated bowling to him because he used to annoy the hell out of me, and I've told him this. He is an absolute legend of a bloke; I hope he hears this because – and he knows – he used to frustrate the sh** out of me when I bowled to him. He would sledge and he would hop in and going after me 'You're quick'. I could never get him; I was always exhausted," Lee said on the LiSTNR Sport podcast.

"When he came in to bat, it was at the wrong end of a spell. When I said 'Mate, you're a bloody ripping bloke. Why don't you show me how good you are or now nice you are? He goes 'because I like that edge. I want to come across as if I am arrogant, or a person who is chirping in. So he was giving it back to us what we gave to them. Lovely guy."

Lee feels Harbhajan's tactic reflected a new attitude change in the Indian team. Under Sourav Ganguly, the players no longer took nonsense from the opposition and instead gave it back in a timely manner, starting from the famous 2001 series, where India beat Kolkata after enforcing the follow-on. That series, to date, is believed by many, Lee included, to be the turning point of Indian cricket. Ganguly started that attitude, MS Dhoni built on it and Virat Kohli simply revelled in it.

"It started in that game when Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman batted the whole day. I was injured at home, watching it with my arm in a sling. It was them saying 'We can match Australia. Not just match; we can beat them'. And now with Kohli, I love the way Kohli plays. He is such a good player… with that aggression. And you've got different guys like back in the day, MS Dhoni… didn't say anything. Just did what he had to do and wouldn't back down," added Lee.