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Zaheer Khan played 200 ODI matches for Team India from October 3, 2000, to August 4, 2012, and accounted for the dismissal of 282 batters.
Zaheer Khan picks his top-5 ODI bowlers. (Picture Credit: Screengrab, X/@ICC)
Former Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan, who played a big role in the MS Dhoni-led side’s 2011 ODI World Cup title win by taking 21 wickets in nine matches, has picked his top 5 ODI bowlers, and in that list, there was no place for Jasprit Bumrah, who arguably has been one of India’s greatest cricketers of all time. In his top five ODI bowlers list, Zaheer, who accounted for the dismissal of 282 batters in 200 ODI matches played from October 2000 to August 2012, mentioned Wasim Akram, Glenn McGrath, Waqar Younis, Chaminda Vaas, and Dale Steyn’s names.
While speaking about these players on Cricbuzz’s show, Zaheer said, “There were a lot of the international bowlers around me, which were making a really good impact. Wasim Akram is obviously one of those names which were impactful in this format, with his variations, those yorkers, going around the wicket, over the wicket, and using those slow ones. In this format, he’s had a huge impact.”
Akram played 356 matches for Men in Green and picked up 502 wickets. He was the first bowler in ODI history to cross the 500-wicket mark.
“Another name which I really looked up to also was Glenn McGrath. With the accuracy which he had, the simplicity in the action, and that extra bounce and impact with the new ball, it is something which was very evident right throughout his career, across all formats.”
“Let’s talk about Waqar Younis. You talk about the strike rate; you talk about the impact. If you look at his numbers (416 wickets in 262 ODIs) also, they are right up there, and especially the number which is striking is the number of fifers (13) he has taken in ODI format right throughout his career. So, the impact was phenomenal in terms of having that striking ability.”
“(He) was not afraid of going for runs; that’s the mindset which maybe the modern-day bowlers also should take from,” Zaheer added.
Speaking about Sri Lanka’s Vaas and South Africa’s Steyn, Zaheer said, “Chaminda Vaas is another bowler who I feel has to be right up there. His impact, if you go to see, was pretty much with the new ball. In subcontinental conditions, to have that kind of accuracy, keeping things simple, and he was very impactful in giving that control to his team with line length, accuracy, and consistency.”
“Dale Steyn is someone who we all know with his fiery approach, with his fast outswingers, is something, you know, which impact was always there. He used to get through that crease very fast and had impact through and through,” Zaheer added.
