India's Harbhajan aims to answer critics

Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was aiming to break his barren spell in English cricket on Friday after slamming his country's media over reports of his wicketless bowling for county side Essex. Harbhajan, out of India's national team since an England tour last year, is playing in an ongoing four-day match against Hampshire which started on Thursday. On the first day, he bowled 28 overs for 73 runs without a wicket. Indian newspapers were following progress in the Hampshire game for signs of improvement, with The Times of India headlining: "Harbhajan's barren spell for Essex continues." The one-time top Indian spinner, who won the World Cup with India in 2011, was on Wednesday named in a 30-man preliminary Indian squad for the World Twenty20 to be played in Sri Lanka later this year. Last week, he conceded 33 runs in 13 wicketless overs while playing for Essex against Gloucestershire in a rain-affected four-day match, leading to an outburst on Twitter against his domestic critics. "Indian media makes the news out of nothing. Three days of county game gone in rain and they playing 'Bhajji gone wicketless'. Well done media," Harbhajan, who is known as Bhajji in India, wrote last Friday. "Indian media is nothing but a joke. Worst part is the people believe what they write. Come on guys grow up. Stop putting one guy down," he added. Harbhajan, who played for English county Surrey in 2005 and 2007, was used in all three sessions on Thursday but failed to make a breakthrough. Over his long career, he has bagged 406 wickets in 98 Tests and 259 wickets in one-day internationals.