Zaheer Khan: Difference between revisions

{{about||the Afghan cricketer|Zahir Khan (Afghan cricketer)|the Pakistani cricketer|Zaheer Khan (Pakistani cricketer)}}

{{short description|Indian Cricketer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2013}}

| caption =  

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|10|7|df=yes}}

| birth_place = [[Shrirampur]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]

| heightinch = 2

| batting = [[Batting (cricket)|Right-handed]]

|            tenfor2 = n/a

|            tenfor4 = n/a

'''Zaheer Khan''' (born 7 October 1978) is an [[Indian people|Indian]] former [[cricket]]er who played all forms of the game for the [[Indian national cricket team|Indian national team]] from 2000 till 2014. He was the second-most successful Indian [[Fast bowling|pace]] bowler in [[Test cricket]], behind [[Kapil Dev]]. Zaheer Khan started his domestic career by playing for [[Baroda cricket team|Baroda]]. In the early years of his career, Zaheer Khan was known for his hostile seam and pace bowling, especially fast inch-perfect. He is often considered one of the best Indian fast bowlers.

In a bid to improve his bowling, Zaheer Khan moved to England for a short stint with Worcestershire in 2006. A left-arm [[fast bowling|fast-medium]] bowler, he was best known for his ability to "move the ball both ways off the wicket and swing the old ball at some pace".<ref name="cricinfo">{{cite web|first = Dileep | last = Premachandran| title = Zaheer Khan| url =http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/30102.html| publisher = [[Cricinfo]]|access-date = 14 February 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071115163114/http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/30102.html| archive-date= 15 November 2007}}</ref> Zaheer Khan continues to excel in [[reverse swing]] with the old ball.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB8vsiWqcGg|title=clean bowled by reverse swing by zaheer khan|work=[[YouTube]] ([[Australian cricket team in India in 2010–11|Australia tour of India 2010/11]], 13 Oct)|access-date=9 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-australia-2010/engine/match/464527.html|title=2nd Test India v Australia at Bangalore, Oct 9–13, 2010 Cricket Scorecard|work=[[ESPN Cricinfo]]|access-date=9 February 2014}}</ref>

He is praised for his performances on flat subcontinent pitches and the controlling of different types of cricket balls.<ref name="indiatimes">{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/top-stories/Zaheer-Khan-a-performer-par-excellence/articleshow/49405273.cms|author=Aditya Bhattacharya |date=16 October 2015|title=Zaheer Khan, a performer par excellence &#124; undefined News|website=The Times of India|access-date=18 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Zaheer Khan shows why he is 'the man' {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/22485208/zaheer-khan-shows-why-man|access-date=23 August 2020|website=www.espncricinfo.com|language=en}}</ref> He was one of the key members of the [[2011 Cricket World Cup|2011 ODI World Cup]] winning team, leading the pace attack with 21 wickets in just 9 games. In 2011 he was conferred with the [[Arjuna Award]], India's second highest sporting award by the [[President of India]]. Zaheer Khan's career is also noted for recurring injuries, which often interrupted his progress at the international level. That is also the reason Zaheer khan has set up [[ProSport Fitness & Services]], a special rehab & training center in association with Adrian Le Roux and [[Andrew Leipus]]. In 2020, the [[Government of India]] honoured him with the [[Padma Shri]].

Zaheer Khan was selected as one of the [[Wisden Cricketers of the Year]] in 2008. Zaheer Khan announced his retirement from international cricket in October 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/344697.html|title=Zaheer Khan|date=9 April 2008|website=espncricinfo.com}}</ref> He also played for [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]] in County Cricket and played for [[Mumbai cricket team|Mumbai]], Royal Challengers Bangalore, [[Delhi Daredevils]] and [[Mumbai Indians]] in Indian domestic cricket.

Only [[Muttiah Muralitharan]] (325) and [[Shaun Pollock]] (252) have dismissed more left-hand batsmen than Zaheer Khan , who has gotten the better of southpaws 237 times. He also has the distinct record of dismissing [[Graeme Smith]], [[Kumar Sangakkara]], [[Sanath Jayasuriya]] and [[Matthew Hayden]] – some of the game's most feared left-hand batsmen – over 10 times each in international cricket.

== Personal life ==

He was born on 8 October 1978 in [[Shrirampur]], [[Ahmednagar District]], [[Maharashtra]], India to parents Zakia and Bakhtiyar Khan. He was born in [[Marathi Muslims|Marathi Muslim]] family. He has an elder brother Zeeshan and younger brother Anees. He started his coaching under Utsav Yadav. Zaheer attended the New Marathi Primary school and the K.J. Somaiyya Secondary School in Shrirampur. He also played in the local Revenue Colony Cricket Club (RCC) in Shrirampur after which he started his career in [[Pune]].<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/344697.html|title = Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2008 Zaheer Khan|access-date = 1 December 2013}}</ref>

He has taken 282 ODI wickets at an average of just over 29 runs per wicket taking 4 wickets in a match 6 times (4 times against [[Zimbabwe]]) including 32 wickets against Zimbabwe at an average of 17.46 runs per dismissal. He, along with other seamers like [[Javagal Srinath]] and [[Ashish Nehra]] helped India to make it to the finals of the [[2003 Cricket World Cup|2003 World Cup]]. Zaheer finished the tournament as fourth highest wicket-taker&nbsp;– 18 wickets from 11 matches at an average of 20 runs per wicket.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/WC2003/STATS/WC2003_ODI_BOWL_MOST_WKTS.html |title=ICC Cricket World Cup, 2002/03 Bowling&nbsp;– Most Wickets |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=17 June 2008 |access-date=20 December 2010}}</ref> He is also the fourth highest wicket-taker in ODIs for India with 282 scalps behind [[Anil Kumble]] (337), [[Javagal Srinath]] (315) and [[Ajit Agarkar]] (288).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?id=4857;type=tournament |title=ICC Cricket World Cup, 2010/11 / Records / Most wickets |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=15 July 2011}}</ref>

Earlier, Zaheer held the world record for the highest Test score by a number 11 when he scored 75 against [[Bangladeshi national cricket team|Bangladesh]] in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/282860.html |title=Records / Test matches / Batting records / Most runs in an innings (by batting position) |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=15 July 2011}}</ref> At the time he was batting with [[Sachin Tendulkar]]; the pair amassed 133&nbsp;runs, a new record for India's tenth-wicket.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/fow/highest_partnerships_by_wicket.html?class=1;id=6;type=team |title=Records / India / Test matches / Highest partnerships by wicket |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=15 July 2011}}</ref> This record was broken by [[Tino Best]] of the [[West Indies]] in 2012. The current record holder is [[Ashton Agar]] of the [[Australia]] on his debut match in 2013.

In an interview he said : "The whole 2011 World Cup, I was looking forward to it, especially playing in front of the home crowd - even if it added that extra bit of pressure. I was preparing a new delivery that I wanted to use, which was the knuckle ball. I was working on it for a year leading up to the tournament. Even though I had perfected it, I was purposely not using it in any of the matches [before the tournament]. It got me a lot of success. When a plan like that works, it gives you extra satisfaction."

July 2011 India embarked on a [[Indian cricket team in England in 2011|tour of England]]. Having bowled 13.3 overs, Zaheer strained his hamstring and suffered an ankle injury in the first Test of the four-match series and as a result was ruled out of the rest of the tour.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/14435528.stm |title=India bowler Zaheer Khan out of England Test series |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=7 August 2011 |access-date=9 August 2011}}</ref> Zaheer came back in December and played a test match [[Indian cricket team in Australia in 2011–12|against Australia]] on Boxing day. He took two wickets in two consecutive deliveries, dismissing [[Michael Clarke (cricketer)|Michael Clarke]] for 31 and [[Mike Hussey]] for a duck.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/518950.html|title=1st Test Australia v India at Melbourne, Dec 26–29, 2011-Scorecard|work=ESPN Cricinfo|access-date=9 February 2014}}</ref> In the second test at Sydney, he took three wickets of the four to fall, Clarke scoring 329*; his were the best figures in both these innings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/518951.html|title=2nd Test Australia v India at Sydney, Jan 3–6, 2012-Scorecard|work=ESPN Cricinfo|access-date=9 February 2014}}</ref> {{as of|February 2014}} Zaheer Khan is ranked 22 in the [[ICC Player Rankings]] for Test bowlers. He [[Indian cricket team in South Africa in 2013–14|toured South Africa]] in December 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-07/top-stories/33082373_1_ratings-points-icc-test-12th-spot|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202222337/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-07/top-stories/33082373_1_ratings-points-icc-test-12th-spot|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 December 2013|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=Tendulkar, Zaheer placed at 17th spot in ICC Test rankings |access-date=7 August 2012}}</ref> and [[Indian cricket team in New Zealand in 2013–14|New Zealand in 2014]].

Zaheer Khan announced his retirement from international and first-class cricket on 15 October 2015 in a tweet saying "I bid adieu to my career in international cricket. I look forward to signing off with IPL 9."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/928979.html |title=Zaheer Khan announces international retirement |publisher=[[ESPN Cricinfo]] |date=15 October 2015 |access-date=15 October 2015}}</ref>

Zaheer was appointed as bowling consultant for the [[India national cricket team]] in 2017.

In 2014 Khan founded a fitness and sports company ProSport Fitness and Services in [[Mumbai]], that offers fitness training and [[physiotherapy]] services.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cricketcountry.com/news/zaheer-khan-launches-fitness-company-162943|title=Zaheer Khan launches fitness company|publisher=cricketcountry.com|date=26 July 2014}}</ref> Involving personnel such as [[Andrew Leipus]] and Adrian Le Roux, the center aims to "maximize potential" of people and athletes by personally assisted fitness programs. Khan stated that the objective was to "bring in world class fitness program to India for sports injury management".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBQA8uK3KIs|title=Zaheer Khan about Pro Sports Fitness centre}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mumbaimirror.com/others/leisure/Mirror-fixes-it-Down-but-not-out/articleshow/47659027.cms|title=Down But Not Out|publisher=Mumbai Mirror|date=14 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111043606/https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/others/leisure/Mirror-fixes-it-Down-but-not-out/articleshow/47659027.cms|archive-date=11 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mansworldindia.com/featured/say-goodbye-to-injuries/|title=Say Goodbye To Injuries|work=[[Man's World (magazine)|Man's World]]|date=2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412194650/https://www.mansworldindia.com/fitness/say-goodbye-to-injuries/|archive-date=12 April 2015}}</ref> It offers scientifically designed programs and treatment while conducting workshops and sessions for corporates and schools to spread awareness of physical fitness.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/getahead/report/health-7-things-zaheer-khan-wants-you-to-know/20150315.htm|title=7 things Zaheer Khan wants you to know|publisher=rediff.com|date=29 May 2015}}</ref>

{{Navboxes colour

| title = India Squad

|    fg = #FFFF40