5 reasons why Zaheer Khan will add value to the Indian bowling line up
There are some people in the world that are the automatic go-to characters for their peers. Whatever the situation be, these people can come in and assist in the most helpful way possible. Being reliable is the trait that attracts people towards them.
From 2003 to 2013, Zaheer Khan was the go-to bowler for India. Need a wicket? Give the ball to Zak. Need to slow the pace of the opponent’s innings? Give the ball to Zak. Need a word of advice on where to bowl to a batsman? Go to Zak.
While Rahul Dravid was widely known as Mr. Dependable for his unparalleled steadfastness in Test cricket, Zaheer Khan held the same distinction when it came to bowling – and he showed just that with his performances in India’s 2011 World Cup triumph.
And now that he has been announced as India’s new bowling coach, here are five reasons why he adds value to the bowling unit.
#5 Invaluable experience
Someone who has played in three World Cups and reached the final in two of them is certainly a man of invaluable experience. And he was just not another member of the squad. On both occasions, Zaheer Khan was a fundamental figure in India’s run to the finals in 2003 and 2011.
Indeed, he was India’s most successful bowler in the 2003 edition, taking more wickets than even the legendary Javagal Srinath with 18 scalps from 11 games at an average of 20.77. The fact that India’s only two losses in the tournament came when Zaheer couldn’t take wickets is a testament to his team’s reliance on him.
In India’s World Cup winning campaign in 2011, Zak was again the leading wicket-taker with 21 wickets in nine games. He is India’s joint-most successful bowler in World Cups with 44 wickets from only 23 matches. In the end, India won the tournament – and Zaheer was one of the main reasons for it.
This is a man who chose to play county cricket in a bid to develop his bowling. So he is a man with a lot of experience in different kinds of situations. This is something that is bound to help the Indian bowlers as his experience will rub off on them, something that didn’t happen with, say, former bowling coach, Joe Dawes.