Harbhajan Singh has always been one of Indian cricket's most expressive characters. Whether it was a fiery spell or an animated celebration, the off-spinner wore his heart on his sleeve.
In a recent conversation on Ravichandran Ashwin's YouTube show Kutti Stories, Harbhajan opened up about one of his earliest on-field run-ins - with none other than Australian great Ricky Ponting. The incident happened in Sharjah in 1998 in the Coca-Cola Cup tri-nation series.
📲 Follow The Sporting News India on WhatsApp
Ponting had hit the young spinner for a six and a four but the very next ball, Harbhajan dismissed him with a doosra. What followed was a send-off and a mistake that Harbhajan admits he had no idea would escalate the way it did.
Harbhajan Singh recalls using the 'F word' in front of Ricky Ponting
Harbhajan revealed that back then, he didn't know English well and had picked up the F-word from senior players thinking it sounded cool. So when he got Ponting out, he used it during his animated celebration.
"He charged towards me, and I was like, 'What happened to him?' Suddenly, I was on the backfoot. I thought he was going to give me a sound thrashing," said Harbhajan.
The incident didn't end on the field. After the game, Harbhajan was summoned by the match referee.
"I told him I didn't know the meaning of what I had said. Azhar bhai (Mohammed Azharuddin) also tried to convince the referee to let it go," he said.
More: Was Harbhajan Singh jealous of R Ashwin? Former India spinners clarify social media chatters
But the apology didn't save him. He was fined 100% of his match fees and was handed a one-match ban.
"In my head, I was like, I have apologised, and even made it amply clear that I didn't know the meaning. Why was I penalised so much for just saying it?" he questioned.
More: Which Indian batters have scored a Test century at Old Trafford in Manchester?
Over two decades later, the memory still makes Harbhajan chuckle but it also serves as a reminder of the rawness and honesty that defined his early career.