Zaheer Khan, the optimistic pace bowler of India with an ankle injury is a matter of agonizes for the Indian cricket team in their current Test against the enigmatic world cup winner Australia. The left-arm seamer is yet to recover.
Previously he was unfortunate enough to miss the final Test against Pakistan in Bengaluru for his injury, and today the Indian cricketers ended their first practice session at the Melbourne Cricket ground.
Zaheer proved himself ones again in his unfathomable performances since November. He picked up 13 wickets at 30.38 from three tests against South Africa and also more interestingly 18 wickets against the country where sun never sets, i.e. England. Since the last year, the Mumbai pace bowler was able to grab 40 wickets from 34 one-dayers.
In spite of all these, it is still remembered that his previous trip to Australia was not fair enough although he had picked up a five-wicket lug in the opening test in Brisbane. But apart from this gallant start he was not even successful to grab a single wicket in the Melbourne Test. Giving a run of 103, Zaheer Khan took no more part in the series.
It can be thought that Zaheer’s physical fitness could force the team management to mull over the gangly Munaf Patel as his replacement in the first test.
The 17th member of the side is a stand-by presently.