The Turbanator ready to strike

CENTURION, South Africa, Feb 13 AAP - He's ba-ack. India's wily offspinner Harbhajan Singh cannot wait to get stuck into Ricky Ponting again.

The Turbanator almost terminated Ponting's international career two years ago when India won an unforgettable home Test series 2-1 and Australia snuck home 3-2 in an equally exhilarating one-day tournament.

They have not done battle since.

Ponting played five innings in those Tests, making three ducks, six and 11.

His average was an embarrassing 3.4 and on every single occasion he was dismissed by Harbhajan, who finished the series with a phenomenal 32 wickets.

When Ponting walked off MA Chidambaram Stadium at Chennai after the third Test - head bowed, his world having caved in, Harbhajan celebrating loudly within earshot - he thought his Test days were numbered.

Ponting recovered by making a century during the one-dayers, averaging 36.6 for the series, and succeeding in not giving his wicket away once to the tall tweaker. Since then Ponting has become Australia's one-day captain and man-in-waiting for the Test job.

"I performed quite well when they were in India ... I am very much looking forward to playing this game," said Harbhajan before Australia's World Cup match against India on Saturday.

"I don't know what they're feeling, but I'm obviously feeling very confident against them. They're a very good side, they play their strokes and whenever a batsman plays his strokes you have a chance of getting him out.

"When you play the best team in the world you feel confident. When you play against them you perform better."

Harbhajan claimed before the World Cup he was preparing to unveil a mystery ball that was nowhere to be seen during India's first-up victory over Holland.

"I'm still working on it," he said.

"I may bowl it on Saturday, but I wasn't confident enough to bowl it in our first match. I won't tell you what it is, you can see it on the TV."

Indian players are talking about themselves as being the Brazil of the tournament.

Like the side that won the soccer World Cup, the Indians are brilliant but erratic, capable of rising to the big occasion - like Saturday's game at SuperSport Park.

"Obviously we have a very good team and the Australians know if we play to our potential we have a very good chance to win this one. Hopefully our batsmen get some runs, and we can do the rest," said Harbhajan.

"I'm bowling well, I'm confident.

"I've been bowling well for three years."

He has a long memory.

So does Ponting, no doubt.