Zaheer Khan

Full name Zaheer Khan
Born October 7, 1978, Shrirampur, Maharashtra
Current age 30 years 177 days
Major teams India, Asia XI, Asia XI, Bangalore Royal Challengers, Baroda, Mumbai, Surrey, Worcestershire
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Left-arm fast-medium
Career statistics

Test debut Bangladesh v India at Dhaka, Nov 10-13, 2000
Last Test New Zealand v India at Napier, Mar 26-30, 2009

Test statistics
ODI debut Kenya v India at Nairobi (Gym), Oct 3, 2000
Last ODI New Zealand v India at Auckland, Mar 14, 2009

ODI statistics
T20I debut South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006
Last T20I New Zealand v India at Wellington, Feb 27, 2009

T20I statistics
First-class debut 1999/00
Last First-class New Zealand v India at Napier, Mar 26-30, 2009
List A debut 1999/00
Last List A New Zealand v India at Auckland, Mar 14, 2009
Twenty20 debut Glamorgan v Worcestershire at Cardiff, Jun 27, 2006
Last Twenty20 New Zealand v India at Wellington, Feb 27, 2009

Like Waqar Younis a decade before, Zaheer Khan yorked his way into the collective consciousness of the cricket world: his performances at the ICC Knockout Trophy in Kenya in September 2000 announced the arrival of an all-too-rare star in the Indian fast-bowling firmament. He might just as easily have come from the Pakistani pace stable: well-built, quick and unfazed by a batsman's reputation, Zaheer could move the ball both ways off the wicket and swing the old ball at some pace. After initially struggling to establish himself as a new-ball bowler, he came of age on the 2002 tour of the West Indies, when he led the line with great heart. His subsequent displays in England and New Zealand - not to mention some eye-catching moments at the World Cup - established him at the forefront of India's new pace generation, but a hamstring injury saw him relegated to bit-part performer as Indian cricket scripted some of its finest moments away in Australia and Pakistan. After that, his pace has dropped and his attitude was questioned, as a new breed of pace bowlers pushed him aside to move to the front of the queue. Zaheer's response was to head to Worcestershire and take 78 wickets in the 2006 county season, a performance that earned him a recall for the tour of South Africa. He was the perfect foil for Sreesanth there, and he then regained his status as leader of the pack with a matchwinning display at Trent Bridge, as India won only their fifth Test on English soil.