Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh said India have proved their critics wrong by winning the third cricket Test against Australia on the fast and bouncy WACA track here. “What I want critics to remember is that we have done so well on a pitch which is rated as the stronghold of fast bowlers. Other teams, including Australia, should also be judged on how they fare on pitches which suit spin bowling,” he said today.

Harbhajan, whose appeal against a three-Test ban for alleged racist remarks against Andrew Symonds would be heard next week, said India were catching up with the Australians over the years.

“Australia are still a very good team. But we are not far behind. We have competed with them, and competed well whenever we have faced each other at any venue, home or away.”

Harbhajan said if he got to play the Adelaide Test, he would be patient in his approach. “If I am in the team, I would do what essentially I always try to do, be patient, bowl in the right areas and put pressure on batsmen. Batsmen tend to make mistakes when under pressure.

“It is a great feeling when Anil bhai thanks me for building up pressure from the other end,” he said.