@harbhajan_singh (Harbhajan Singh Plaha) was born 3 July 1980 in Jalandhar, Punjab, India. He is the only son of Sardar Sardev Singh Plaha, a businessman who owned a ball bearing and valve factory. his father insisted that he concentrate on his cricket career and represent India.

Harbhajan was trained as a batsman by his first coach Charanjit Singh Bhullar, but converted to spin bowling after his coach's untimely death saw him turn to the tutelage of Davinder Arora.

Arora credits Harbhajan's success to a work ethic that included a 3hrs training session.

Also he started training in after noon 3pm to till sunset by own.
Harbhajan broke into the Punjab Under-16s at the age of 15 years and 4 months in November of the 1995–96 season, and took 7/46 and 5/138 on debut against Haryana, setting up a nine-wicket win.

He scored 56 in his next match against Delhi and then took 11/79 in his third match against Himachal Pradesh, orchestrating an innings win. He ended with 32 wickets at 15.15 and 96 runs at 48.00 in four matches. He was rewarded with selection for North Zone Under-16s.

At the end of the season, he was called into the national Under-19 team at the age of 15 years and 9 months for a youth One Day International against South Africa. He took 1/19 from seven overs in an Indian win.

Harbhajan made his first-class cricket debut in late 1997 against Services, during the 1997–98 Ranji Trophy season. Took total of 3/35 in an innings win but was dropped back to the Under-19s. He then took 5/75 and 7/44 in two matches to earn a recall to the senior team.

His season was interrupted when he represented India at the Under-19 World Cup in January 1998. He played in six matches, taking eight wickets at 24.75 with a best of 3/5 against Kenya. After taking 8 wickets in his two Ranji matches, he was selected fir Australia in 1999–2000.

He did not play in the Tests, with India opting to field only Anil Kumble in the team. Australia whitewashed India 3–0, and Harbhajan struggled in his only first-class outing against Tasmania, taking 0/141, a portent of future unsuccessful tours to Australia.

He went wicketless against Hyderabad, and was selected for the Board President match vs the touring SA. He took 2/88 and 2/59 and scored 38 and 39 to prevent the hosts being bowled out and defeated, dropped as the second spinner, as Murali Kartik became Kumble's spinning partner.

In five Ranji Trophy matches, he claimed 28 wickets at 13.96. He claimed 3/29 and 3/39 against Himachal Pradesh, 2/53 and 5/88 against Jammu and Kashmir, 4/77 and 2/33 against Haryana and 5/40 against Services in the first four matches, all of which ended in innings wins for Pun.

Harbhajan was then omitted from the team during a home triangular ODI tournament against Bangladesh and Kenya, after taking 0/18
but was recalled for the Singer Trophy in Sri Lanka and also involving New Zealand. Playing in all five matches, He claimed 8 wickets at 24.12

With Kumble injured before the home series in March 2001 against the visiting Australians, Harbhajan, whose previous best Test figures were only 3/30.
Harbhajan started well in the First Test in Mumbai, taking three quick wickets in a spell of 3/8, to reduce Australia to 99/5

in response to India's first innings of 176. However, a counter-attacking 197-run partnership between Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist in just 32 overs, saw Harbhajan concede 103 runs from his last 17 overs, to end with 4/121. Despite being struck for many sixes into the crowd

His milestone

1st: Greg Blewett 

50th: Ricky Ponting 

100th: Wavell Hinds

150th: Nathan Astle 

200th: Charles Coventry 

250th: Ricky Ponting

300th: Ricky Ponting

350th: JP Duminy

400th: Carlton Baugh

he has the second-highest number of Test wickets by an off spinner