10 lesser known facts about Zaheer Khan

Zaheer Khan – India’s best bowler in the last decade

Today, cricket fans all around the world woke up to the news that Zaheer Khan would be announcing his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. While it didn’t come as a major shock to most of us – since Zaheer hasn’t played international cricket for a year and a half – it was still a blow to the gut.

From the early 2000s, Zaheer Khan was an integral part of the Indian cricket team. With his swing in the air and his pinpoint yorkers, Zaheer has troubled most major batsmen on every surface possible. Even when his place was threatened by younger and fitter bowlers, he always kept his chin up and came back stronger.

Even after India’s disastrous World Cup in 2007, Zaheer remained India’s best bowler, and his match-winning spells gave India the 2011 World Cup, not to mention several important away victories.

In most of MS Dhoni’s Test victories, Zaheer has been the best bowler, outstripping his compatriots by a fair margin. Though it was unlikely, several fans hoped to see a spark of the old brilliance one more time before Zaheer hung up his boots, but it was not to be.

India will never see another bowler of such outstanding calibre, that he could be counted upon even in the most testing times to bowl a tidy spell or to take a crucial wicket. Zaheer belongs in a different class and India will be hard-pressed to find another like him. On the day marking Zaheer’s retirement, here are ten facts that most of us might not know about India’s spearhead:

1. Started out for Baroda in the Ranji

While most of us remember Zaheer as being one of Mumbai’s many cricketing heroes, he actually started his career playing for Baroda. In just his second season for his side, Zaheer led Baroda to a famous win in the final against Railways, as he finished with figures of 5-43.

On the final day, with Railways on 91/4 and 132 more runs to get, Zaheer snapped up two wickets to leave them reeling at 107/6. He then came back later in the day to get three more wickets as Railways were bowled out for 201. Zaheer’s figures on the day were 5 wickets for 16 runs, and this was the match that made him eligible for selection in the Indian side.

2. Exciting start at Surrey

In 2004, Zaheer Khan signed on for Surrey as an unpaid cricketer and quickly made an impact. In his first match, he took two wickets in his very first over, and returned with 2-36 in ten overs, enabling Surrey to win a low scoring match.

Though he never played for Surrey in the season again, Zaheer played his only match in the hopes of getting fit for the 2004 Asia Cup, and his efforts were rewarded as he made the final side.

3. A Six to finish

Zaheer Khan’s stint at Worcestershire is the stuff of legends. He took 10 wickets in his debut match and then proceeded to take 9 wickets in an innings at Essex. While this seems common knowledge, not many know that Zaheer won a match with the bat.

Chasing 285 against Surrey, Worcestershire were at 281-8, but bad light was threatening to stop play anytime. Zaheer Khan, batting at No.10, walked in and hit the very first ball he faced for a six as Worcestershire won amidst fading light and dramatic scenes. Zaheer proved that he could win a match with the bat as well.

4. Bowled through the gate

After a spell of venomous fast bowling against Australia in Nairobi, Zaheer was praised to high heavens. In the match against Zimbabwe at Sharjah, he again proved his class. After nipping out the dangerous Andy Flower in the middle overs, Zaheer returned for a devastating spell. In seven balls, he took three wickets – all of them bowled.

Bowling yorker after yorker, Zaheer ensured that Zimbabwe had no chance of a late surge as he nipped it in the bud. It would prove decisive as India would only sneak past by 3 wickets thanks to Sunil Joshi’s gritty 25 at No.8.

5. Highest ODI score

While Zaheer might not have made many contributions with the bat, the ones he has made are all important. Be it the 75 against Bangladesh or the four sixes off Henry Olonga, Zaheer has always kept a high price on his wicket.

That was on display as Zaheer led India to a thrilling win over New Zealand. After picking up three wickets for 30 to bowl New Zealand out for 168, Zaheer saw India slip horrifically to 116-7. Coming in at No.9, Zaheer partnered Yuvraj Singh to take India home.

The innings was a mixture of patience and big hitting as Zaheer faced 42 balls and slammed three fours and a six. The win was also a morale-boosting one, as India had gone seven matches on that tour without a single win.

Zaheer Khan was the Man of the Series in the Asia XI v Africa XI tournament

6. A special Man of the Series award

While Zaheer’s exploits for team India are well publicised, his performance for the Asia XI is less so. In 2005, playing against the Africa XI, Zaheer took nine wickets in three ODIs to pick up the man of the series award. His wicket tally included the scalps of Jacques Kallis, Justin Kemp, and Mark Boucher, among others. It was a good phase for Zaheer who had just finished his successful stint with Worcestershire.

7. The many 5-fors away

Out of Zaheer’s 11 five-fors in Test match cricket, an astonishing 8 of them have come outside India. The only three he has in India came at Bangalore, Mohali and Mumbai.

Apart from those, Zaheer has five-fors in the subcontinent, in England, in New Zealand and in Australia. His 5/75 against England at Nottingham helped India secure a series victory in England after 21 years.

A similar five-for in Wellington gave India a series victory in New Zealand, and his efforts helped him get the Wisden Cricketer of the Year. It is precisely the vault of experience that Zaheer provides in overseas conditions that India will sorely miss.

8. A tremendous World Cup record

Zaheer’s record in World Cups is nothing short of magnificent. He claimed 44 World Cup wickets, the most by an Indian. He also bowled his heart out in the 2011 World Cup, ending as the joint leading wicket taker alongside Shahid Afridi.

But not many know that Zaheer also possesses another World Cup record – the best strike rate by an Indian bowler (minimum 1000 balls bowled). Zaheer’s strike rate of 27.1 in World Cups makes him the best for India, and the second best in the world, only behind Lasith Malinga who has 23.8.

Zaheer has the second best strike rate by any bowler in the World Cup

9. A face-saving innings

Another tense situation, another Zaheer Khan special with the bat. Going in 4-1 down into the seventh ODI, morale was not high in the dressing room. But Murali Kartik served up a steaming platter of off-spin and the Australians fell over themselves, finding new ways to get out.

Kartik ended up taking 6 wickets for 27 and ended up with the third highest bowling figures for India in ODIs. Zaheer himself picked up 1-22 and grinned with the others as Australia were bundled out for 193. But India being India found themselves at 162-8, staring at a 5-1 defeat.

Zaheer, showing his wealth of experience, shepherded the tail and made sure there were no further hiccups. At one point, he was even rattled by Brett Lee, but replied in kind, hitting him for a massive six. At the end of the day, the scoreline read 4-2, not very respectable, but slightly better than 5-1.

10. A demon to left handers

The best and most famous story about Zaheer Khan was his constant battle with Graeme Smith. Smith, who had weathered much younger and faster bowlers than Zaheer, had a major problem facing him. All in all, he was dismissed 13 times by the wily bowler across all forms of international cricket.

But Zaheer’s brilliance was not reserved for Smith alone; it extended to all left-handed batsmen. In test matches, only Muralitharan and Wasim Akram have dismissed more left-handers than Zaheer, who has dismissed 237 left handers. He has also got the heavyweight quartet of Smith, Hayden, Sangakkara and Jayasuriya more than 10 times each in international cricket.

With Zaheer Khan gone from India’s national side, the hunt is on to find India’s next spearhead. Like it or not, it currently resides with Ishant Sharma, who will be under tremendous pressure to perform. But try as they might, India will be extremely lucky to find a single bowler who will be as dependable, as accurate and as competitive as Zaheer Khan.