Harbhajan says Sourav's retirement not a distraction

Nagpur, Nov 5 (UNI) Harbhajan Singh today said Sourav Ganguly's farewell Test will not be a distraction for the home team in the last match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and declared himself fit for the Nagpur Test that begins here on November 6.

''I don't think it will be a distraction. We will focus on cricket, simple,'' a fit-again Harbhajan told a news conference here today.

''We are looking forward to playing some good cricket, which is what we have been doing in this series, and we are looking to finish this series 2-0,'' Harbhajan said.

Harbhajan will return after missing the previous Test at Delhi due to a toe injury.

''I am 100 per cent fit to play,'' he said after practice at the old stadium,'' he confirmed.

Harbhajan Singh, who is one short of 300 Test wickets and will take over the mantle of senior spinner after leg-spinner Anil Kumble announced his retirement on the final day of the third Test, said,''it (Kumble's) will be very big shoes to fill.'' ''We all know his contribution to Indian cricket and the number of matches he has won,'' he said of Test cricket's third highest wicket-taker.

''At the same time there are young bowlers, like Amit Mishra, who now have a chance to claim a permanent place in the team.

They are good bowlers and are doing well.'' Mishra took seven wickets on his debut in Mohali when he replaced an injured Kumble.

India lead the four-match series 1-0 after winning the second Test at Mohali by 320 runs. The first Test in Bangalore and the third one in Delhi last week were drawn.

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