The 40-year-old Windies superstar is renowned for being an equal opportunity destroyer of all types of bowling attacks and has racked up some big scores in all three formats of the game. Singh, however, insists that he always had a strategy that was effective in keeping the big left-hander under wraps.
“Warner is very good on the back foot - he will cut you. He can switch-hit, he can sweep pretty nicely, he can hit you over cover. He can step out too. Compared to Gayle, Warner is more difficult for me to bowl to,” Singh told Espncricnfo’s Cricket Monthly.
“Gayle, if someone bowls quick to him, he will keep hitting sixes. If someone bowls slow to him, he’ll have to come out of the crease, which he is not comfortable with. I have never ever felt it difficult to bowl against Gayle,” he added.
“I have bowled a lot at him in powerplays. He did not have the sweep. He did not have the shot over mid-on.”
The Indian spinner can point to some tangible success against Gayle, having dismissed the West Indian 5 times in One Day internationals, which makes him statistically the third most successful bowler to have faced the batsman in the format.
Ashwin took 5-43 on a dramatic day two in Chennai, where the tourists were bowled out for only 134 in reply to India's 329 all out.
Virat Kohli's side were 54-1 at stumps – leading by 249 runs – and well on course to level the four-match series.
Ashwin generated huge turn and bounce, with the spinner's drift also causing the England batsmen all sorts of trouble.
Only the great Anil Kumble (350) has more Test scalps than Ashwin in India after the 34-year-old moved past Harbhajan's total of 265.
Ashwin vividly recalls watching Harbhajan take 15 wickets in Chennai to secure a series win over Australia 20 years ago, and expressed his pride after bettering the Indian great's tally of scalps on home soil.
"When I watched the 2000-01 series, when Bhajju Pa [Harbhajan] played, I didn't even imagine I would go on to become an off-spinner for my country," Ashwin said.
"I was still a batsman for my state. Trying to accelerate towards batting and playing for my country. I wasn't even sure I would go on to become a player for the Indian team.
"Lots of my team-mates from that age, from that generation, used to make fun of me because in my action I used to try to bowl like Bhajju Pa.
"From there on to come on and go past him has to be incredibly special. I didn't know of it. Now that I know of it, I am incredibly happy. Sorry, Bhajju Pa."
Ashwin put England under huge pressure in such tough conditions as he took his 29th five-wicket Test haul – putting him level with Glenn McGrath in seventh on the all-time list.
The wily Ashwin has now claimed the wickets of 200 left-handers in the longest format, a landmark he reached by bowling Stuart Broad.
The Tigers batted first and made 173-8 from their 20 overs after losing the toss. Hamilton Masakadza (37), Thisara Perera (32) and Robin Uthappa (23) were the main scorers. Chadwick Walton also contributed 17.
Rajat Bhatia took 3-31 from his four overs while Trent Johnstone was expensive in his three overs, going for 33 runs but picking up two wickets in the process.
Then, despite a top score of 56 from Jacques Kallis along with a rapid 38 from Gayle and 35 from captain and wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel, the Giants were restricted to 163-9 from their 20 overs.
Man of the match Parvinder Awana took 4-19 from three overs to lead the charge for the victors. Harbhajan Singh was also economical with 2-14 from his four overs. Perera also completed a good all-round performance with 2-6 from two overs.
Harbhajan will go down as one of India's greatest spinners, having taken 417 Test wickets in 103 matches.
He sits fourth on the list of his country's leading Test wicket-takers and is India's fifth-highest ODI wicket-taker with 269 tom 236 games.
Harbhajan also played in 28 Twenty20 Internationals, picking up 25 scalps, and also featured for his country in 2016.
The tweaker on Friday revealed that his long, illustrious career has come to an end.
He tweeted: "All good things come to an end and today as I bid adieu to the game that has given me everything in life.
"I would like to thank everyone who made this 23-year-long journey beautiful and memorable. My heartfelt thank you. Grateful."
Harbhajan last played for Kolkata Knight Riders in April.
