The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Zaheer at the crossroads

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 12, 2004

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Zaheer at the crossroads

By S. Dinakar

CHENNAI, AUG. 11. The dark, deep-set eyes on his gaunt visage radiate the sort of passion that is often reflected in the manner in which he surmounts billowing waves of threat and danger in the climactic gut-wrenching moments of One-Day Internationals.

The man, who often comes alive with stinging yorkers at the `Death,' is now journeying through those complex alleyways that criss-cross international cricket and which can easily hoodwink the protagonist into choosing the path to disaster.

Persisting doubts over fitness have meant that the mist casting a veil over his career has failed to lift. Motes of light are visible, so is a gathering storm. Zaheer has to tread with care.

Yet, when he trotted in, grime-faced and sweat-drenched during the lunch break of the game between the Australian Cricket Academy's Centre of Excellence and the MRF Invitation XI, he revealed a surprising sense of calm for a man in the midst of a career crisis.

Zaheer, in an exclusive interview to The Hindu, said he would utilise well the time available after his omission from the Indian team. "I want to get my rhythm going, gain match practice, basically build myself up for international cricket in a better way. I would now have the time to work on the guidelines laid down for me by Indian physio Andrew Leipus."

Freak injury

A freak quadriceps muscle injury suffered while fielding in the Asia Cup, had set in motion a chain of events that might have finally forced the selectors to `rest' a top-notch paceman from the ODI squad. Zaheer says pragmatically: "I was making my comeback and this happens."

He operated without any apparent discomfort on Wednesday, but is taking no chances. "Right now I am doing things that are in my hands, in my control. At no point have I doubted my ability. I have to put my head down, do the right things, and wait for the call."

The left-armer's tally of wickets — 83 in 29 Tests (ave. 35.21) and 128 in 86 ODIs, (s.r. 33.00) — would have been a lot more, but for those injury roadblocks.

Curiously, the injuries have all been different — a troublesome tendon behind the right knee in 2002, being hit on the same spot while fielding, then a left-hamstring tear, in Australia, and the inflammation of the right hamstring in Pakistan.

It can be frustrating. "When you are doing well, when everything is falling in place, when you want to consolidate on that and take things to the next level, you struggle with niggles."

Asked about the cause for all those injuries, Zaheer says, "The feedback from Leipus was that I had developed some kind of imbalance in my body." Zaheer is keen to travel to Australia, with help from MRF, for expert medical guidance.

The ace of the Indian pace attack not too long ago, Zaheer might still have an ace up his sleeve.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport