Interview

'The hard work has paid off' - Zaheer

Zaheer Khan has been included in India's one-day squad after an abscence of nearly eight months. Anand Vasu talks to him about his selection

Anand Vasu
Anand Vasu
30-Oct-2006


Zaheer Khan: 'I wanted to grow as a cricketer by playing County cricket. I've achieved that' © Cricinfo Ltd
Zaheer Khan, fresh from a bucketful of wickets in County cricket, and some decent performances in the Challenger Series last month, had the disappointment of being part of the losing West Zone team against Sri Lanka A at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack alleviated when it was announced that he was picked in the Indian one-day team for the tour of South Africa.
Zaheer spoke to Cricinfo at the end of the day's play, and was understandably overjoyed that the work he had put in over the last year or so had paid off. "Definitely the hard work has paid off," he said. There was a time when it was thought that he would never return to the Indian team, as it had been whispered that he had attitude problems. "All the performances I have shown in the last six-seven months are bearing results now. And what's left now is for me to make the most of the opportunity I have got."
Zaheer, who had been left out of the Indian team, proved his mettle for Worcestershire in the County Championship, picking up 78 wickets from 16 matches. But even that was not enough to earn him a recall for either the DLF Cup in Malyasia, or the Champions Trophy. He had to come back to domestic cricket in India, playing in the Challenger Series and the Duleep Trophy, before he could displace RP Singh. "Basically the whole idea of going to England and playing in domestic cricket in India was to get back to the Indian team," he said. "That is the basic criteria, isn't it, performing in these important first-class matches. I was prepared to do that, and focussed on that when I played these games. In future as well, in whatever cricket I play, the focus is going to be this. I wanted to grow as a cricketer by playing County cricket. I've achieved that and it's time to go a level up now and do that at the highest level. Obviously the whole point of all I was doing was to get back to the highest level."
One of the problems India has had in the recent past is the inexperience of their fast bowlers. This has led to some tight games being lost as a young bowler has lost his way at the death and been taken apart. When asked if he thought, with his experience, he could help in this department, Zaheer was content playing it safe. "I'm happy to be back and focussed on doing well. I'd like to take it one step at a time now," he said. "I'll join the team, we'll have practice sessions, team strategies and things like that, so I just want to take it one day at a time. Now I have eight days before we leave for South Africa and I just want to prepare well for the tour and be upbeat right throughout."
During whatever time I was out of the team I've definitely grown as a cricketer. That you'll be able to see on the field when I play
Since he has been playing in domestic cricket recently, Zaheer has not been able to watch India going down in the Champions Trophy. "I've been playing the Duleep Trophy so obviously I couldn't watch the full games," he said. "But wherever I've had a chance I've watched India playing, and I've obviously been keeping a close watch on the newspapers and things like that." And when asked how badly it hurt to watch India do as badly as they have, Zaheer turned philosophical. "Cricket is going to go on, as we all know," he said. "Whoever it is who is playing for the Indian team is trying hard to do well, and everyone is doing what they can to win matches. Obviously it is a bit tough to take when you've been defeated. But it's just a phase. The Indian team has bounced back on many occasions in the past and I'm sure we will this time also."
Ever so often, when the Indian team bounces back from a slump, they're called "New India. Did Zaheer, who was making just such a comeback, think this was a "New Zaheer?" Yes, definitely. During whatever time I was out of the team I've definitely grown as a cricketer. That you'll be able to see on the field when I play," and does this mean his batting, and fielding, which was always a point of contention, has improved? "Basically playing so many matches has helped me build overall match fitness, and as I said, you'll be able to see that when I'm, on the field next playing for India."

Anand Vasu is assistant editor of Cricinfo