Cricket star Harbhajan Singh to promote Gravesham (From News Shopper)

Cricket star Harbhajan Singh to promote Gravesham

3:24pm Wednesday 15th August 2012 in News By Tim MacFarlan, Bexley and north Kent reporter

GRAVESHAM Council has recruited a handy spin doctor. 

Indian test cricket star Harbhajan Singh will be promoting the town having accepted an honorary role as ambassador for Gravesham after it was twinned with his home city of Jalandhar earlier this year.

The Punjabi-born spin bowler is currently playing for Essex having taken more than 400 wickets and scored 2,000 runs in 98 tests for his country. 

Harbhajan agreed to the role on a visit to Gravesend's gurdwara complex on Friday, completed last year after a £14m fundraising effort by the Sikh Community which he called "awesome".  

During his visit Harbhajan said Gravesend felt like "a real home from home" and added: "I was particularly struck by how welcoming everyone was. It is truly an honour to tell everyone about your town."

Council leader Councillor John Burden said: "It’s very good news to have someone of Harbhajan’s stature supporting our bid to keep Gravesham on the map and help us develop a new style of twinning by encouraging business and developing more cultural links.

"It is very apt in this sporting year that we have managed to secure the support of a world famous sports personality."

The cricketer has more than 200,000 followers on Twitter despite tweeting only a handful of times.

He is currently the only Sikh in the Indian side and the day he came to Gravesend it was announced he has been selected for the T20 World Cup squad.