Injuries helped me work on my bowling: Zaheer Khan

By Rahul Bajaj
for Cricketain.com

Published: January 28, 2010

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Injuries helped me work on my bowling: Zaheer Khan thumbnail

Mirpur: Speedster Zaheer Khan made a sparkling comeback to form with a 10-wicket haul against Bangladesh in the second test to complete a 2-0 series victory for India but the Indian pace spearhead believes that he still has a long way to go to reach his peak bowling fitness.

Zaheer, who underwent a shoulder surgery in August last year, said the time he spent out of side due to the injury allowed him to work on his bowling but he was not at his best yet.

“Lot of things in bowling come from experience. I started late in my career and was out of the side due to injuries,” Zaheer told reporters after creating havoc against Bangladesh on the fourth day, finishing with figures of 7 for 87. “I think injuries helped me work on my bowling. I was fortunate that I could work on my bowling and make a comeback.”

Zaheer’s brilliant performance earned him both the Man of the Match and the Man of the Series awards but the left arm fast bowler was not content, saying he could have been even better. “(I have) still a long way to go on my fitness. But to get back from the injury and start bowling well is satisfying. I have started the season on a positive note and I am looking forward. An important series (against South Africa) is coming up and I am looking forward to doing well,” said the pacer.

Elated with his first 10-wicket match haul, Zaheer said, “I am happy with my first 10 wickets in a Test. I am in a zone where I am relaxed with my body and mind is in sync.”

Looking back at the match, Zaheer said that although the hosts put up a brave fight on the third day, the Indians knew that they had a very good chance to wrap up the game quickly after they took two quick wickets towards the end of play on the third day.

“It was more to do with the nature of the wicket. It was quite slow yesterday. They were batting well and taking their chances. As bowlers we have to be patient. When we got the last two wickets we knew that we have a chance. In the last 20 minutes yesterday the ball was reverse swinging. We thought we could take wickets today morning and we did,” he said.

Zaheer said the wicket did not much to offer for the spinners and he was happy that the fast bowlers did their job. “The wicket was slow and low throughout and there was nothing much for spinners. So I am happy that the pacers shared the wickets. At Chittagong (in first Test) also we had a collective effort as a bowling unit,” he said.

“It was a difficult track but the kookaburra ball always does something on sub-continental pitches. It swings when new and there will be reverse swing when old, as it did today,” he added.

Zaheer said that he was a little surprised by the way the Bangladesh batting collapsed on the fourth day but said they would learn from experience. “I was surprised by the collapse. They could have applied themselves more. But these are their early days in Test cricket and they will learn. And they would be confident of their batting performance in this Test,” he added.

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