Excited to play 10 Tests this season: Zaheer
Sports Desk
banglanews24.com/thatcricket
Bangalore: India pace spearhead Zaheer Khan wants to focus on his "bowling fitness" and is excited to play 10 Test matches this season which will be against New Zealand, England and Australia.
Zaheer is currently preparing for the tour of Sri Lanka later this month. The left-arm paceman is training hard at the National Cricket Academy here.
"I am happy with the way I am going about my bowling. I am focusing on my bowling fitness as the season is going to be long. Right now the focus will be on the Sri Lanka ODI series. Being a fast bowler and the way my whole career has gone, often marred by injuries, I just want to do all the right things," Zaheer told reporters at the NCA on Thursday.
He added: "I am looking forward to this season because England and Australia are coming. I am very excited about playing 10 Test matches this season and I am looking forward to contributing in a big way."
The 33-year-old said there was enough fast bowling talent in India and he is enjoying helping out the young pacemen in the country.
"There is enough talent in the country and you have the Ranji Trophy to back it. They (young fast bowlers) have to perform and come up. Whenever I get an opportunity - be it in the IPL or at the nets - I make sure I contribute in whichever way possible. I have been enjoying that (mentoring) role."
Zaheer, who has had to endure the pain of missing out on India duty several times due to injuries, said that fast bowlers were prone to injuries and one needs to be patient.
"As a fast bowler, you are prone to injuries. You have to be patient. You have to make sure you take hundred per cent time to recover and that`s what Varun Aaron has done. The NCA is a good support system and now you have enough guidance."
He said that he was not thinking of skipping any format of the game. "I haven`t thought about anything of that sort (giving up one format). The IPL was important for me so was the Australian tour. I am enjoying my cricket and love being there on the field. I don`t want to complicate my thinking right now."
Zaheer has so far played 83 Tests and 195 ODIs. He has 288 Test and 278 ODI wickets.
BDST: 1627 HRS, July 13, 2012
Edited by
Chanchal Ghosh, Newsroom Editor