Feels like 25-year-old, says Zaheer Khan

MUMBAI: He's leaner and fitter and he's also sporting a new look. More importantly, India's pace ace Zaheer Khan is back where he belongs — in the national team for India's big tour of South Africa. Making a return to the national side after a year-long hiatus, the 35-year-old left-arm seamer is ready to fire on all cylinders and get to the milestone of 300 Test wickets. (He currently has 295 wickets from 88 Tests). The Mumbai Ranji team skipper spoke exclusively to TOI ahead of his side's match against Vidarbha. Excerpts...

Your skill as a bowler has never been questioned, but your fitness has. Now you look super fit again. How did the transition come about?

Last December, when I faced fitness problems, I asked myself some tough questions, whether this is what I really want to do. Then I realized I surely wanted to continue playing cricket and so I chalked out a plan. I knew fitness has been an issue with me. But to regain top fitness, I needed time as my body had some imbalances and they needed to be taken care of. Also, fitness levels do not change overnight and hence I went for overseas training (in France and South Africa) during the prolonged off-season and now here I am.

You have been amongst the wickets in Ranji Trophy and your return to the Indian team was almost expected. How confident were you of being picked for the South African sojourn? Also, how disappointing was it to miss Sachin Tendulkar's farewell series?

I was aware of most things. I wanted to play more first-class matches because the pressure is less when you are looking at getting into the groove. But having said that, who wouldn't have wanted to be a part of Tendulkar's farewell. It was a special game and having spent 13 years playing with him it was a disappointment. In fact, if you ask everyone who's played with or against him, he would have wanted to be a part of his farewell. It was a special occasion and we've witnessed the end of an era.

You are 35 now and sometime last year people felt that you were done with the game. This season, you are looking like a 25-year-old. How do you look at it?

It doesn't really matter. Look at the history of the game and you will find some of the best cricketers were playing till they were 40. Glenn McGrath played till he was almost 40. Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Kapil Dev too played till their late thirties. Fast bowling is a combination of various things. You have to see how much you are taxing your body and how much load it can take. I feel I am lucky when it comes to the basics of bowling. It is more about the pressure on the body and whether it can withstand the load while you are bowling at your best.

What should we expect to see from the new Zaheer Khan?

I am not just looking like a 25-year-old, but I also feel like one! I am looking forward to the new challenges ahead and I feel I've removed all the stones and hurdles from my path. I don't have any doubts in my mind ahead of the South Africa tour. I have done all the preparations humanly possible and am eagerly waiting to don the India whites again. I have some good memories about South Africa. My last comeback was there (in 2006) and I am looking forward to delivering the goods again.

Zaheer Khan

Age: 35

Test Debut: vs Bangladesh at Dhaka, Nov 10-13, 2000

Match	Wickets	Runs	BBI	BBM	Avg.	SR	5W	10W
88	295	9545	7-87	10-149	32.35	59.7	10	1

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Shweta Pandey

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