From Kolpak exile to series hero in India, Simon Harmer revels in late career revival

Simon Harmer had presumed his Test career was dead and buried when he signed the Kolpak deal with Essex in 2017. This came after he was deemed non-essential by South Africa following a disappointing Test series in India in 2015.

The terms of the Kolpak agreement at that time stipulated that the signee player could never represent his country of birth during the duration of the deal.

For the then 27-year-old Harmer, that was 10 years – effectively a death note to his international career. “I made peace with the fact that this was the decision I was taking,” he says.

The conviction with which the off-spinner believed that he would never turn out for the Proteas again after the Kolpak, shines through his words.

“Never in a million years did I think that I would have another shot at international cricket. Never in a million years did I think that I would come to India again.”

However, destiny, and a complex bit of political upheaval, ensured that Harmer not only returned to India but also delivered a series-winning bowling performance that enchanted not just the Indian batters but also nearly everyone who watched him in action.

Harmer’s international career was revived by Brexit, which nullified all Kolpak deals. In 2022, he found his way back into the South African set-up. He had to wait three more years for the defining moment – his triumphant return to India.

READ | Bavuma stands tall in South Africa’s historic rout of India

From the two matches, Harmer racked up 17 wickets at a barely believable average of 8.94 – the second-highest ever for a spinner with at least 10 wickets in a Test series in India.

“To be here, to win 2-0, to be man of the series, it’s pretty special and quite surreal. I think it’ll take some time for it to sink in and to digest, but I think it’s very special and I’m very happy with the way that things have panned out,” said Harmer at the post-match press conference.

His 17 wickets in the series were spread almost evenly – eight in the first Test and nine in the second. In Kolkata, he had the benefit of bowling on a pitch with unpredictable bounce. In Guwahati, despite being thrown up against a flat track, Harmer was even more potent, displaying remarkable adaptability.

“Playing cricket in South Africa as a spinner is very different to playing cricket in England and India. I do believe that the skill set that I’ve built up over my career has helped me in this series. It’s helped me to understand different conditions, what those conditions demand of you and the ability to be consistent,” he observes.

Harmer looks at spin-bowling as an art form. Just a glimpse of him in full flight would confirm why he thinks so – the 36-year-old bowls with a clean, fluid bowling action that maximises his six-foot height. Then follows the manipulation of flight, turn and speed; all achieved without any perceivable difference in delivery.

“They say that spin is an art, and I really do believe that it is. The subtle changes, the deception. Especially as an off-spinner, you don’t have as many variations as other forms of spin, and I think as you go through your career playing in different conditions, you need to find solutions, you need to find ways to get better, to evolve,” explains Harmer.

With R. Ashwin’s retirement and Nathan Lyon entering what appears to be a gradual fade out, there could be a legitimate case for Harmer to be in contention to be the best off-spinner in the world right now.

But the South African believes he doesn’t have the body of work to be worthy of that title.

“I don’t think you can make those comparisons. I think I’m a better bowler than I was. If you look at a guy like Ravi Ashwin, what he did – he took close to 40 (31) wickets in three Test matches against us in 2015. If you look at what Nathan Lyon has done for Australia, he’s taken over 500 Test wickets.

“I’m very happy with who I am as a person, as a cricketer. I don’t think I need the public to think more or less of me. I think people will be getting a bit too far ahead of themselves if they start to try and have those sort of conversations,” he said.

Ultimately, Harmer is content with himself for the long-winded journey that he had undergone and the self-improvement that came with it.

READ | Gambhir on his future as Test coach: Up to BCCI to decide

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do, to be able to look back at the end of the career and say that I was the best version of Simon Harmer that I could be. The steps I took when I was dropped from the national side, to try and get better.

“I just wanted to be able to turn around and say that I left no stone unturned, and I tried as much as I could. I’m very grateful for the opportunities that Temba [Bavuma] and Shukri [Conrad] have given me, believing in me and giving me the opportunity to come back and play Test cricket,” adds Harmer.

Over the last few years, Keshav Maharaj has been South Africa’s primary spinner, regularly taking up the sole tweaker spot in the playing XI when the side plays at home. Harmer has no issues continuing to be the second fiddle.

“Kesh is a world-class spinner. He’s proved his worth around the world in tough spinning conditions. I’m very happy to play a supporting role. I want to make South African cricket better. If that means that I only get selected in the subcontinent, I’ve got absolutely no issue with that. I want this team to do well and dominate Test cricket for as long as they possibly can.”

It is the sort of grace that comes from men who had convinced themselves that their dream was dead, only for life to deal them an unexpected ticket to redemption.

Published on Nov 26, 2025