Zaheer Khan by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:

Z Khan

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DateLine: 17th April 2009

 

Zaheer Khan's performances at the ICC Knockout Trophy in Kenya in September 2000 announced the arrival of an all-too-rare star in the Indian fast-bowling firmament. Well-built, quick and unfazed by a batsman's reputation, Zaheer, after initially struggling to establish himself as a new-ball bowler, came of age on the 2002 tour of the West Indies, when he led the line with great heart. His subsequent displays in England and New Zealand - not to mention some eye-catching moments at the World Cup - established him at the forefront of India's new pace generation, but a hamstring injury saw him relegated to bit-part performer as Indian cricket scripted some of its finest moments away in Australia and Pakistan. After that, his pace has dropped and his attitude was questioned, as a new breed of pace bowlers pushed him aside to move to the front of the queue. Zaheer's response was to head to Worcestershire and take 78 wickets in the 2006 county season, a performance that earned him a recall for the tour of South Africa. He was the perfect foil for Sreesanth there, and he then regained his status as leader of the pack with a match-winning display at Trent Bridge, as India won only their fifth Test on English soil.