Where is India’s bowling mentor Zaheer Khan?
CAPETOWN: It is not usual for India to carry a separate bunch of bowlers merely to provide batsman adequate net practice. A tour of South Africa, where India have never won a Test series, however demands that extra initiative. This trip will provide experience beyond dreams for pacers Ankit Rajpoot, Avesh Khan, Basil Thampi and Mohammed Siraj, who will be asked to be at their best when India start training at the Western Province Cricket Club from Saturday. But what about the consultants who were signed up for exactly a tough trip like this?
The day Ravi Shastri was appointed coach till the 2019 World Cup, t he BCCI also announced Zaheer Khan as bowling consultant and Rahul Dravid as overseas batting consultant. Later, the Board clarified that Zaheer would be overseas bowling consultant on a tour-to-tour basis. This is India’s first Test tour outside the sub-continent since their appointments. Dravid is in NZ with the U-19 team for the World Cup. Given his multiple responsibilities, it is becoming clear the former skipper may not travel with the senior team unless something dramatic happens.
Zaheer too is not with the senior squad. When asked, a BCCI support staff said he had no update on the issue. Bharat Arun
ZAHEER’S KNOWLEDGE COULD HAVE BEEN USED TO PREPARE BHUVNESHWAR, SHAMI AND CO IN THE WEEKLONG BUILDUP.
is the bowling coach. When HT contacted a member of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) that had proposed Zaheer’s name, he too wasn’t sure.
India’s bowling department hasn’t been this varied for a long time. They have a settled pace core in Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar with Ishant Sharma and all-rounder Hardik Pandya jostling for a berth. The talented Jasprit Bumrah is also part of the 17-man squad and could spring a surprise if selected. After retirement, Zaheer was Delhi Daredevils’ captain-cum-bowling mentor. So, it’s not as if he is a greenhorn in coaching. One of the more successful Indian pacers in South Africa, Zaheer’s knowledge could have been used to prepare Bhuvneshwar, Shami and Co in the week-long build-up.
However, India seem to be backing themselves with the support staff they have than looking outside for guidance.