Zaheer Khan: A performing artist with combative skills

Few bowlers in the history of Indian cricket had more control on their craft as Zaheer Khan, who certainly was the finest exponent of left-arm pace bowling that the country has ever produced.
There are bowlers who have better statistical record than 311 Test wickets in 92 games and the 282 scalps in the 200 ODIs but what numbers alone would not be able to reveal is his ability to be a genuine match-winner in all conditions.
What the stats don't tell is the number of matches he missed due to injuries in the last four years during which his international as well as IPL appearances were far and few in between.

The story of 37-year old Zaheer, who called time on his international career today, was how one acquires envious skill set with hard work and devotion.
When it comes to left-arm seam or quick bowlers, who have played the game over time, Wasim Akram probably sits on a different pedestal but Zaheer certainly was India's 'Very Own Akram', may be a notch below but very effective nevertheless.
Reverse swing came into Indian cricketing conscience with Manoj Prabhakar but someone who took it to another level was Zaheer or 'Zak the Ripper' as fans would affectionately call him. Zaheer made Indian bowlers believe that reverse swing is not the preserve of Pakistani bowlers.

If one tries to dissect the career of the man from Shrirampore in Maharashtra, then it would be divided into three distinct segments.

The first phase was the start of his international career in Nairobi during the Mini World Cup in 2000 when he burst into the scene as a tearaway quick bowler unleashed by Sourav Ganguly.
The second phase was of a man, who knew exactly what he could do with red cherry. He shortened his run-up, lessened that pronounced jump while loading up and became an expert with old ball in sub-continental conditions.
This was the phase when Trent Bridge happened as India won a Test series in England, Test series against Australia at home where he was lethal with the old ball and the biggest of them all -- World Cup where he led the charge with 21 wickets.

The third phase was a disappointing one which started with pulling out with a hamstring injury on the first session of the first day of a Test match against England at Lord's.