Chris Adams believes signing Harbhajan Singh can help turn Sussex into genuine Championship challengers.

The 22-year-old Indian off-spinner is top of their list of targets for next season after Adams and coach Peter Moores persuaded the committee that the club should try and sign a second overseas star.

The first class counties are expected to give approval to a proposal for two overseas player per county at a meeting on August 12 despite opposition from the players' union.

Sussex's committee initially objected to the idea but Adams and coach Peter Moores have convinced them that they need a quality slow bowler if they are to compete for honours. They believe Harbhajan fits the bill.

After making his Test debut as a 17-year-old, the man nicknamed 'The Turbanator' rose to prominence in 2001 when he took an astonishing 32 wickets in a three-match home series against Australia.

He has already taken 107 Test wickets at an average of 27.95 although he was surprisingly left out of the Indian team which lost to England in the first Test at Lord's earlier this week.

Sussex would need the approval of the Indian Cricket Board of Control before signing Harbhajan, but India have no international commitments from May to September next year so it appears he will be free to fulfill an lifelong ambition to play county cricket.

Adams said: "He is a quality performer, you only need to look at his record to see that, it's very impressive. He averages nearly five wickets per Test at the moment and he is the sort of bowler who is consistently going to get good players out.

"Our batting unit is already pretty solid, we have depth and talent in seam bowling but spin is an area where we are deficient.

"Mark Davis has carried us since Umer Rashid died and when he got injured last week we had to select Chris Nash from the Academy."

Adams would love Harbhajan to form a two-pronged spin attack with Davis next season.

The plan met with some success when Davis and Rashid played together last summer, but Davis is unlikely to regularly run through a side.

"It's what I call the X-factor," said Adams. "Someone who can turn a game on its head with a spell of bowling or a great innings. A side like Surrey have two or three players like that such as Saqlain, Mark Ramprakash and Ali Brown and that's why they are probably going to win the Championship again.

"If we are going to be successful in the hunt for trophies then someone like Harbhajan could make the difference."

Moores and the committee were concerned that bringing in a second overseas player might send out the wrong signals to youngsters trying to establish themselves at Hove. However, the positives seem to outweigh negatives when it comes to recruiting a world star like Harbhajan.

New chief executive Nigel Russell said: "There are strong arguments for producing home-grown talent and we will continue to do that. But the benefits of signing someone like Harbhajan are enormous. He could give our other spinners top-quality coaching, it would raise the profile of the club and that could bring commercial spin-offs."

The financial package on offer is undoubtedly going to be a big factor. Russell confirmed that the £4.3m legacy they received from the estate of former president Spen Cama will only be used to develop the ground, but the club appear determined to try and bring the best talent to the south coast.

Of course, Harbhajan could decide Old Trafford is a better option than Hove and if that is the case then Sussex will look elsewhere.

Harbhajan's Indian team-mate Anil Kumble could be an option. The 31-year-old is a veteran of 71 Tests, 229 ODIs and has 600 international wickets under his belt. He is familiar with the county scene, having played for Northants and Leicestershire.

Another possibility is Australian Stuart MacGill who is due to play for Notts as replacement for South African Nicky Boje this month.