NEW DELHI: Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has opened up about an incident that led to his expulsion from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru in 2000.

Harbhajan, who was among the first group of trainees at the NCA, recalled how he tore up a diet chart after repeatedly complaining that the food being served did not match the prescribed diet. He said the incident was later used as the reason for his removal.

Harbhajan explains what happened

Harbhajan said the NCA had a fixed diet plan for its trainees, but the food served did not follow the chart. According to him, repeated complaints did not lead to any change.

The former India spinner said his frustration eventually boiled over and he tore the diet chart.

“Waha se mujhe nikaal diya gaya. Woh meri galti nahi thi. Main aaj bhi is baat ko khule aam kehta hoon, kyunki woh hamara haq tha. Jo hamara khaana tha, woh achha nahi tha. [They removed me from there. It was not my mistake, I say this openly even today. It was our right. The food was not good there],” the former India spinner said on cricketnextofficial.

“Wahan jo rules aur regulations the, woh yahi the ki humein bahut kuch padhaya ja raha tha, sikhaya ja raha tha. Ek chart lagaya tha, jismein tha ki ye diet honi chahiye, expert ki diet ke hisaab se humein woh diet milni chahiye. Lekin woh khaana mil nahi raha tha. [Back then, the rules and regulations were such that we were told and taught a lot, and a chart was put up for the diet. But we were not getting food as per that diet. Despite complaining many times, the food did not improve. So one day I tore that chart. This was my only mistake, that I tore the chart]” Harbhajan said.

Harbhajan said he believed his decision to speak up was necessary because the problems with the diet plan would not have been addressed otherwise.

“But maybe till someone does something like this, things don’t change. I was fighting for the rights. If I had not stood up, even today the same diet plan would have been followed. The plan changed, I was also removed, that is a different thing, but it was not my fault. There were some people in the BCCI who did not want someone who could stand up and question them,” Harbhajan added.

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Harbhajan went on to become one of India’s most successful spinners. He represented India from 1998 to 2016 and finished his international career with more than 700 wickets across formats.

He played 103 Tests and took 417 wickets, including 25 five-wicket hauls and five 10-wicket match hauls.

In 236 ODIs, Harbhajan claimed 269 wickets, including three five-wicket hauls. He also played 28 T20Is and took 25 wickets.