Zaheer Khan has passed the test. With 18 overs under his belt and a healthy looking four wickets to go with it in his comeback Ranji Trophy game against Orissa, the Indian spearhead looks set to lead the attack Down Under in three and a half weeks from now. More than our batsmen, Khan?s return is huge for Indian cricket. His leadership ability with the ball and his skill helps in making the Indians a potent force in Australia.
Zaheer Khan is expected to do a number of things as a senior bowler. First up he is expected to pick wickets at the top of the order. And with an impeccable record against the left handers, chances are he will be successful more often than not. It is also his brief to control the other fast men who might get over excited with the bounce and carry on offer. Getting the best out of Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav, almost certain to partner Khan in the first Test, is an equally important component of his brief.
Unlike in the past India doesn?t have an experienced spinner in the ranks. Ashwin, brilliant in the series against the West Indies, will surely go through wicketless periods in Australia. In such times it is Khan who will come to the rescue. As leader he asks his mates to be patient and wait for the mistake rather than playing into the hands of the opposition.
Finally, with the second new ball, Khan is also entrusted with the task of breaking partnerships. Simply put, he is expected to lead the Indian charge in Australia. A win Down Under, which is Sachin Tendulkar?s last unfulfilled cricketing wish, depends to a large extent on Zaheer Khan?s fitness and availability.
The other important thing the Indian bowling unit needs in Australia is attitude. Without Harbhajan Singh in the ranks, Khan is the best man to give it back to the Australians. A glare and some words are commonplace Down Under. Michael Clarke?s boys will do all they can to rile up the young Indian bowling unit. Khan will be our protective cocoon, nurturing the young tearaways in Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron with much care and tenderness. They are a rare species in India and need protection in hostile climes.
In recent times the injury prone Kahn has played one complete tournament?the World Cup. He was the highest wicket taker with 21 wickets and was a key cog in Dhoni?s arsenal that fulfilled a national mission?winning the World Cup on home soil as the first team to do so in the Cup?s 36-year-old history.
With the England disaster hurting Khan more than anyone, he knows what he could have done to save India the blushes in the four Test series. Therefore, we can expect a fit and raring to go Khan at his best in the Boxing Day Test. The occasion and a packed MCG will inspire him and all of India will be praying he doesn?t break down for the next two months. Virender Sehwag has put it nicely, ?Such a thing throws all plans haywire. You have to make do with three bowlers and the opposition gets a huge boost. It gets difficult to control things in such circumstances.? Dhoni, it can be surmised, will echo similar sentiments and will want to stay away from rolling his arm over come Boxing Day.
Two final things can be said about Khan; first up he is a fierce competitor who, it is expected, will not get overawed by the occasion or the hype associated with the first two Test matches of this much awaited series. Second, there is no one around barring Dale Steyn who can match Khan in skill. It radiates on the team and gives Dhoni a number of options to play with on the field. It allows the Indians to hang in there knowing that an inspired spell might just be round the corner. He has done it in the past in other climes, but has never done so Down Under. In fact, Khan was forced to return home injured after the first Test in 2003-4 and 2007-8 causing the touring Indian team much heartburn. This time around his teammates are hoping things will be different. A fit Zaheer Khan is capable of proving Steve Waugh wrong and showing the world that the England disaster was indeed an aberration.
The writer is a sports historian