Zaheer Khan — India's Greatest Left-Arm Fast Bowler
Zaheer Khan's cricket career: 311 Test wickets, 282 ODI wickets, left-arm swing, reverse swing mastery, and how he led India's pace attack to the top of world cricket.
Frequently asked questions
How many Test wickets did Zaheer Khan take?
Zaheer Khan took 311 wickets in 92 Test matches at an average of 32.94. He is India's third-highest Test wicket-taker behind Anil Kumble (619) and Kapil Dev (434). In ODIs, he took 282 wickets in 200 matches at 29.43.
What made Zaheer Khan a great bowler?
Zaheer Khan combined natural left-arm angle into right-handed batters with exceptional swing ability — both conventional outswing with the new ball and devastating reverse swing with the old ball. He could generate movement in conditions where most Indian pace bowlers struggled, making him genuinely effective in England, South Africa, and Australia as well as at home.
Did Zaheer Khan play in the 2011 World Cup?
Yes — Zaheer Khan was India's leading wicket-taker at the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, taking 21 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 18.76. He was a key figure in India's World Cup-winning campaign on home soil, with his reverse swing and accurate slower balls proving particularly effective in the later rounds.