Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, one of the finest bowlers to have donned the India jersey, has announced his retirement from all forms of the game. After playing at the highest level for more than two decades, ‘The Turbanator’ hung up his boots and broke the news via a social media post.

Taking to the micro-blogging site, the Punjab off-spinner said that cricket gave him everything in life and thanked everyone who was a part of his incredible 23-year-long journey.

All good things come to an end and today as I bid adieu to the game that has given me everything in life, I would like to thank everyone who made this 23-year-long journey beautiful and memorable.
My heartfelt thank you Grateful .https://t.co/iD6WHU46MU

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) December 24, 2021

“All good things come to an end and today as I bid adieu to the game that has given me everything in life, I would like to thank everyone who made this 23-year-long journey beautiful and memorable. My heartfelt thank you Grateful,” Harbhajan tweeted.

In the same tweet, the spin wizard also shared a link to his official YouTube channel where he posted a long video reflecting on his incredible journey that began from the congested streets of Jalandhar and culminated into the Indian dressing room.

© Reuters

Generally, whenever a player of his stature retires from the game and decides to enter a new phase of his life, it makes all of us sad. However, that was not the case with Harbhajan.

There were tons of insensitive comments on social media where people made fun of the legendary cricketer and mocked him for dragging his career for so long and retiring so late.

© Reuters

At an age when these guys are busy trolling famous personalities on social media, hiding behind a virtual screen, Bhajji had already started troubling the world’s best batters across the globe.

Bahut jaldi leli

— Ritika Malhotra (@FanGirlRohit45) December 24, 2021

Bhai maa kasam I thought he has retired aaj pata laga ki he has told all of us

— Tweets of Sanju Manju (@PinkTurds) December 24, 2021

i thought he was already retired

— . (@_parii1) December 24, 2021

Toda aur late krta to virat bhi retire ho jata

— SID (@IAMSIDHANT) December 24, 2021

Only 6 years late

— DOC "grey colour and papita stan" SHERLOCK (@BROTHER_0F_MINE) December 24, 2021

BCCI is still thinking why he took that much time for announcing retirement.

— Shreyash (@Shreyash_2204) December 24, 2021

Me also

— ProPad (@cskfangamerbro) December 24, 2021

Wtf.... I thought that he retired years ago

— 45696969l3kj5b2h3jvgej2k3vh5kj2v5j324j5v2j35v23j4v (@IamRo453) December 24, 2021

Kar kya raha tha abhitak

— Su_Ne@L (@10sixteen2) December 24, 2021

Kya ukhad liya itna din drag karke

— Niranjan Biradar (@NiranjanBiradar) December 24, 2021

What was he waiting for all this time? Expecting a comeback?

— JethalalProMax (@JethalalProMax) December 24, 2021

If they can’t respect a true legend of the game who served the country for so long and won so many matches on his own, in my opinion they shouldn’t call themselves fans.

Harbhajan made international debut against the mighty Australian side in a Test match in Bengaluru during the 1998 series. He was just 17 years old.

Harbhajan Singh famous hat trick against Australia in 2001 #harbhajansingh #Cricket pic.twitter.com/Dz0nOUcUho

— CRICKET VIDEOS (@AbdullahNeaz) December 24, 2021

Such was his magic that he soon became an important part of the side across both formats and produced some remarkable bowling performances throughout his career. Who can forget when he became the first Indian bowler to pick up a Test hat-trick in that famous Kolkata Test at the iconic Eden Gardens that helped the side clinch a memorable win in 2001.

He finished his international career with over 700 wickets (417 Tests, 269 ODIs and 25 T20Is). He couldn’t finish his career the way he wanted to but looking back, I don’t think he wouldn’t have any regrets.

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