Zaheer Khan Interview
Zaheer Khan’s turning point
Congratulations on the World Cup win. For most Indians it was one of the best days of our lives. Have you recovered?
It was the best day for us too. More than anything else it was the journey that was special. Playing in India there was the added pressure but at the same time we knew that it was going to be equally special if we were able to pull it off. The belief was always in the team, we always talked about gaining momentum at the right time and kept thinking that we can do it. Everyone wanted it badly and that kind of showed in the whole approach.
You bowled in the World Cup final in 2003 and then suffered some setbacks with injuries. Then came the season at Worcestershire where you bowled incredibly. Was that the turning point of your career?
Yeah, in many ways it was. It was really important for me to play at the highest level, and to get back in to the Indian side. I always knew I had the potential to perform but somehow I was not able to deliver. The stint at Worcestershire helped me understand the game, why I am playing and other things in terms of preparations for matches and bowling on different kind of wickets. It was a great learning curve.
So would you recommend that young players play a county season?
Yeah definitely, in fact I was advising all the young bowlers, like Ishant. When you are at home, in many ways you are taken care of. But when you play a county season you have to do everything yourself and still be prepared for the game. That brings in a great sense of professionalism. You also get a great understanding of cultures, and that definitely improves your social skills since you are out of your comfort zone. That itself is a great learning for any person, not just a cricketer.
So what do you do to stay fit in the off season?
There is no off-season in India. (laughing). That’s fine because I have always said that I like playing more and more matches. I feel that match fitness is the best fitness. I should be able to bowl 20-25 overs on a given day in a test match and follow it up and do the same thing the next day. That is fitness to me. In between I have my maintenance routine and my weight-training program to keep my shoulder strong since the surgery.
You’ve had some ‘bunnies’ in your time, Graeme Smith being the most famous of them. What is the mental advantage that you have when you bowl to someone who has been labeled your bunny?
When you’re bowling to someone like that you know that while you’re relaxed, he is thinking too much. That gives you an edge. If you keep things simple, cricket is a simple game. But if you complicate things it gets complicated.
The Indian locker room has a lot of characters, like Bhajji, Yuvi and Sreesanth. Can you share some inside stories of pranks and practical jokes, and are there any characters I’ve left out?
(Laughing) You’ve got the characters right. These are the main guys when it comes to all the pranks that go around.
Any incidents you can share with us?
(Laughing) I would like to say that these are the pranksters and leave it at that.
Which are your favorite grounds in India and abroad?
I’ve always enjoyed playing in Mohali, Wankhede and Bangalore. The view from the dressing room in Bangalore is something special. Abroad it would be Trent Bridge. I bowled one of my best spells of international cricket there so it is a special ground for me. In Australia the MCG is special. I played a Tsunami charity match there and it was fully packed. The atmosphere there was great.
Who is been your biggest influence both on and off the field?
Sachin has been right up there. Right from Nairobi when I made my debut, he has been great. I’ve seen him being helpful not just with the youngsters but with the senior players as well – just the fact that he has been around for so long and he understands the game so well. It is always good to have a chat with him about anything. It need not even be about cricket. His understanding of things is far better than most people’s.
Which non-cricketing sportsman do you admire?
Roger Federer. For anyone to be that consistent at the highest level is not easy. Tennis is also an individual sport that makes it even tougher for a person to stay at the top for such a long time. You need the mindset to go that extra mile when it comes to preparation and you need to keep raising your game. In that sense Roger Federer has been right up there.
Outside cricket you run a restaurant in Pune - how did you get into that business?
It happened because I kept getting injured at the international level. That time made me realize that cricket is not going to be there for me forever and I need something to fall back. That's why I started this restaurant, six years ago. We're planning on opening another one in Pune soon with a a couple more in a few years' time.
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