Ranji Trophy: Six players to look out for in the Quarter finals

Zaheer Khan

Team: Mumbai

Zaheer Khan

Zaheer started the Test series against South Africa with a  four wicket haul but more than the wickets it was the nip in the bowling, the intent in the run up and the overall effort that he put in which impressed the most. The absence of these traits were probably the biggest culprit in Zaheer Khan’s exclusion after the home series against England in 2012 and the ‘fitness regaining’ trip to France was surely an acknowledgment of that.

The success in the first innings of the series against a strong South African line up seemed to confirm the fruitfulness of the hard work put in France, but what followed that was an eye-opener not just for the selectors but for Zaheer himself. The disappointment wasn’t because of Zaheer’s failures but because of  the reasons behind them. It looked like England 2012 happening all over again for India’s pace spearhead (if at all there is a spearhead).

Quite clearly, Zaheer wasn’t bowling the balls but was just putting them there. The back wasn’t bending enough, the follow up was jaded and the run up seemed as if an eighty year old was trying his hands on rock climbing. The lack of pace, movement and the overall effectiveness in this case cannot be attributed to a lack of will or interest from Zaheer’s side.

If that was so, then the trip to France or participation in the Ranji trophy for Mumbai would have never taken place. Clearly the problem for Zaheer was the lack of fitness and stamina to bear the workload of close to 90 overs over a period of 10-12 days. It’s pretty tricky to pinpoint a reason for that lack of fitness and stamina; may be Zaheer didn’t back up the gruelling sessions in France with enough bowling, or may be the long break from international cricket had rendered him mentally unready for big efforts in back to back innings against a quality line up.

Whatever the reason is, he will have a good chance to sort it out against a competitive Maharashtra batting line up. The fact that Zaheer has already been picked for the tour of New Zealand might just help him to be mentally calm for the Ranji assignment, and thus focus on and sort out his shortcomings, and he needs to do that quickly as a failure against the Kiwis might not give him a chance to do so again.