Zaheer Khan’s 5 best spells in Tests

Zaheer Khan (Source:: AFP) 

One of India’s former pace-bowling greats, Zaheer Khan, left a pace-bowling legacy that is still remembered and cherished by the cricket fans. Notably, Zaheer Khan is only the third Indian pacer to play 90+ Test matches in his Test career, following former legendary India all-rounder Kapil Dev and pacer Ishant Sharma. 

Meanwhile, Zaheer is also the joint-second leading wicket-taker among pace bowlers for India in the Tests. He is jointly at the second spot, alongside Ishant Sharma, with 311 wickets. Zaheer has scalped these wickets in 165 innings of the 92 games he played for India, including 11 five-wicket hauls and a 10-wicket haul in a match. 

Besides that, Zaheer Khan won some iconic Test matches for India with his outstanding bowling performances. Given that, here’s a look at the five best spells bowled by Zaheer Khan in the longest format of the game. 

Zaheer Khan’s five best spells in Tests

3/62 and 7/87 vs Bangladesh - Mirpur Test, 2010 

After defeating Bangladesh by 113 runs in the first Test in Chattogram, India faced the hosts in the second Test in Mirpur from January 24, 2010, onwards. The Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and decided to bat first. The hosts were bundled out at 233 runs in 73.5 overs. Zaheer Khan ended up with three wickets for 62 runs in his 19 overs in the first innings. 

India responded with a mammoth total of 544 runs for the loss of eight wickets before declaring their innings and taking a massive lead of 311 runs at the end of the first innings. Later in the second innings, India wrapped up Bangladesh’s innings at just 312 runs courtesy of Zaheer Khan’s lethal bowling that destroyed the hosts’ batting lineup. 

Zaheer went on to claim a sensational and match-winning fifer, claiming seven wickets for just 87 runs in 20.3 overs. After scoring 312 runs, just a run more than India’s lead, Bangladesh could set a nominal target of just 2 runs for India, which was chased only by extras when the Indian openers came to bat in the last innings. Zaheer Khan ended up registering his career’s only ‘10-wicket haul in a game’ and was also awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ and ‘Player of the Series’. 

5/29 vs New Zealand - Hamilton Test, 2002

It was the second and last Test of the two-match series between India and New Zealand in 2002. The Blackcaps had already taken a lead in the series with a win in the first Test. The hosts’ skipper Stephen Fleming won the toss and invited India to bat first in Hamilton. The visitors faced a miserable collapse and were bundled out at the double-digit score of just 99 runs in the first innings. 

Nevertheless, India’s counterattack was brilliantly led by the then-young pacer Zaheer Khan, who claimed a sensational five-wicket haul. Zak ended up picking five wickets for just 29 runs in his 13.2 overs, including four maiden overs. On the back of his fifer, India bundled out New Zealand at 94 runs, taking a narrow five-run lead. However, Zaheer’s efforts went in vain, as India lost the game by 4 wickets. 

Still, this spell ranks among the memorable spells bowled by Zaheer Khan in the longest format of the game. 

4/59 and 5/75 vs England - Nottingham Test, 2007 

The three-match Test series between India and England in England was the ‘dream run’ for Zaheer Khan, owing to his brilliant performances throughout the series. In the same vein, Zaheer played a central role in India’s seven-wicket win in the second Test in Nottingham, which also resulted in India’s historic series win in England after a long wait of 21 years.​

The then-skipper Rahul Dravid won the toss and asked the hosts to bat first at Nottingham's tough turf. The spin-pace duo of Zaheer Khan and Anil Kumble made the life difficult for the English batters in the first innings. Zaheer scalped four wickets for just 59 runs in 21 overs, alongside Kumbe’s three wickets for 32 runs in 12.3 overs. Eventually, England were packed at 198 runs in the first innings before India posted a big total of 481 runs to take a massive 283-run lead. 

Later in the second innings, the hosts’ batting attack was left clueless against Zaheer Khan for one more time in the exact match. Zak ended up claiming a sensational five-wicket haul, taking 5 for 75 in 27 overs, including 10 maiden overs. England could set the target of just 73 runs for India, which they chased comfortably and won by seven wickets. 

Zaheer won the ‘Player of the Match’ award and also ended up winning the ‘Player of the Series’ award after India sealed the series by 1-0. 

5/94 and 3/43 vs Australia - Mohali Test, 2010​

Laxman’s injury, Ishant Sharma surviving the Aussie bowling attack as a batter, and a lot more, it was one of the most thrilling games in Test history that witnessed every kind of comical turnaround till the final result was achieved. It is all about the first Test of the two-match series between India and Australia in 2010. 

Meanwhile, the then-senior Indian pacer Zaheer Khan also left his unforgettable impact on this game, picking a total of eight wickets in the entire match. He claimed a brilliant fifer in the first innings, dismissing five Aussie batters for 94 runs in his 30 overs, with seven maiden overs. Furthermore, he picked three wickets for 43 runs in 11.5 overs, including a maiden over in the second innings. 

Eventually, India won the game by a narrow 1-wicket margin in a nail-biting successful run chase. Zaheer Khan was adjudged ‘Player of the Match’ for his outstanding bowling performances in both the innings. 

5/72 vs Sri Lanka - Mumbai Test, 2009 

Around 16 years ago, in December 2009, India and Sri Lanka were taking on each other in the third Test of the three-match series. The visiting skipper, Kumar Sangakkara, won the toss and decided to bat first. The Islanders scored 393 runs in the first innings courtesy of Tillakaratne Dilshan’s 109-run knock, followed by Angelo Mathews’ 131-ball 99. Furthermore, India went on to smash a mammoth total of 726 runs for the loss of nine wickets owing to Virender Sehwag’s blistering 293-run knock off just 254 balls.​

Later in the second innings, Sri Lanka came to bat with a massive trail of 333 runs, and it was Zaheer Khan who made this look a bit tougher to achieve for the visitors. Zaheer claimed an impressive five-wicket haul in the second innings, picking five wickets for 72 runs in 21 overs, including five maiden overs. On the back of Zaheer’s brilliant spell, India ended up winning the game by an innings and 24 runs and sealed the series 2-0.