Zaheer Khan is a former Indian international cricketer, widely regarded as one of the finest fast bowlers produced by India. A left-arm pacer known for his ability to swing the old ball through reverse swing, he was a key member of the Indian team that won the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, where he finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker of the tournament. He represented India across all three formats between 2000 and 2014 and later took up coaching and administrative roles in Indian cricket.
| Full name | Zaheer Khan Bakhtiyar Khan |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 October 1978, Shrirampur, Maharashtra, India |
| Batting | Right-handed |
| Bowling | Left-arm fast-medium |
| Role | Bowler |
| International debut (Test) | November 2000, vs Bangladesh, Dhaka |
| International debut (ODI) | October 2000, vs Kenya, Nairobi (ICC KnockOut) |
| Last international match | 2014 |
| Domestic teams | Baroda, Mumbai |
| IPL teams | Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Daredevils |
| Major honour | 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup winner |
| Civilian award | Arjuna Award (2011) |
Zaheer Khan was born on 7 October 1978 in Shrirampur, a town in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. His father, Bakhtiyar Khan, was a photographer and his mother, Zakia, a teacher. He initially pursued an engineering education, but moved to Mumbai in his late teens to focus on cricket. He came under the guidance of coach Sudhir Naik at the National Cricket Club, which helped him refine his fast bowling action and build a domestic career.
Zaheer made his first-class debut for Baroda in the Ranji Trophy in 1999–2000, quickly establishing himself as a frontline pacer in domestic cricket. He later represented Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy and was instrumental in their title-winning campaign in 2008–09, where he played as both a senior bowler and as captain in parts of the season.
Zaheer made his ODI debut at the ICC KnockOut Trophy in Nairobi in October 2000 and his Test debut against Bangladesh in November 2000. His left-arm angle and ability to bowl yorkers at pace made him a natural new-ball partner to Javagal Srinath and later Ashish Nehra. He was part of India's squad at the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa, where India reached the final against Australia.
After being dropped from the Indian side following injuries and inconsistent form, Zaheer played for Worcestershire in the English County Championship in 2006. The stint is widely credited with transforming his bowling: he learnt to use the older ball more effectively, mastered reverse swing, and developed greater control over line and length. He returned to the Indian side as a more complete bowler and was central to India's Test series win in England in 2007.
Between 2007 and 2011, Zaheer was India's premier fast bowler in all formats. He played a leading role in India's rise to the No. 1 Test ranking in 2009. At the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, he took 21 wickets, jointly the most in the tournament alongside Shahid Afridi, and was a key contributor in India's victorious campaign under Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Recurring hamstring and back injuries limited his appearances after 2011. He played his last Test in 2014 against New Zealand. He announced his retirement from international cricket in October 2015. He retired from all forms of cricket in 2016 after the IPL season.
Zaheer played in the IPL from its inaugural 2008 season. He represented Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils. With Delhi Daredevils he served as captain in the 2016 season and later as Director of Cricket Operations.
Zaheer was among the first Indian fast bowlers to consistently use reverse swing as a primary weapon, especially in subcontinental conditions where seam movement is limited. His variations included the in-swinger to right-handers, the angled delivery from over the wicket, and the knuckle ball, which he popularised in Indian cricket. He finished his Test career with more than 300 wickets, becoming only the second Indian fast bowler after Kapil Dev to reach the milestone. In ODIs, he took over 280 wickets.
After retirement, Zaheer transitioned into mentoring roles. He served as Director of Cricket Operations for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, working with the franchise's bowling unit and overall cricketing strategy. He has also been associated with bowling consultancy roles for the Indian national team across different periods.
Zaheer Khan married actress Sagarika Ghatge in November 2017.