The former Indian cricketer turned commentator, Zaheer khan, is not ready to agree upon the fact that batsmen are a dominant force nowadays. Instead, he says that it’s all about how a bowler adapts to the conditions
“I won’t say bowling standards have fallen. It all depends on how quickly you adapt and understand the situations of the game. How you make use of the conditions,” said the former Indian pacer in a conversation with The Hindu.
Zaheer still believes bowlers have an active role to play in the game and it is all upon a bowler how he adapts to the atmosphere and conditions. He backed his case by linking the current Test match to prove his point “Look at this game. The first two days were evenly balanced. India scored 300-plus and New Zealand threatened to go past that total, but the bowlers pulled it back nicely.
“That’s what Test cricket is all about. How much you stay calm, what character you show as a team and as an individual over five days,” said Zaheer.
Zaheer stressed on the fact that a bowler faces many challenges and need to put in extra efforts to churn out results and benefits “If you ask the bowlers from earlier times they will say the same. Ten years down the line they will say the same.
“What stays constant is the challenge, the battle to fox the batsmen. Players sort out strategies and innovate.
“T20 has added different dimensions to the game. Batters and bowlers are looking to innovate. Next, you might see fielders throwing equally with left and right arms, bowlers becoming ambidextrous.”
“It is a combination of temperament and skills. As I played more and more matches I would talk to more and more players. I would speak a lot to batsmen and observe the game because certain deliveries would work in particular situations.
“I would set short terms and sometimes they would not work. But it was a process that I followed. I never really paid much attention to the result.”
Zaheer though stressed the importance fitness in a player’s life and said “Actually it is very individualistic. It is about knowing your body, spacing your strength. It all comes from understanding. Fitness also plays a crucial part.
“You have to enjoy the challenge. For me, it was the high of being out there. Bowling gave me the high always. I would look to achieving small goals, within the spells, during the day’s play.
“That’s what I advocate the current bowlers. Keep your mind ticking because players mature early in current times. You will have a greater impact on the game and your career will be long.
“You must have an open mind to learning new things each day on the field.”
Zaheer is currently commentating in the Test match between India and New Zealand. He took over the role of a commentator after taking retirement from cricket. His first assignment as a commentator was when he was part of commentary team during the T20 world cup. It looks like he is enjoying this role and we may see him doing this for a long time to come.
Few months before there were speculations that he may be appointed as bowling coach of Indian cricket team, the post is still vacant and Zaheer is probably the best choice for this post. Rest neither of us knows the reality that whether he has been offered the post or not.