Zaheer Khan is a former Indian cricketer and a legendary fast bowler. He is among the very best to have held the ball for the Men in Blue in all 3 formats of the game. Zaheer Khan was one of the very few left-arm pacers in the Indian side to end his career as one of the greatest new-ball bowlers of all-time. He was indeed an invaluable asset for the Indian side starving for fast-bowling talent in the early 2000s.
Zaheer was a great red ball-bowler who was equally talented with the white ball. In fact, Zaheer remains the joint second-highest wicket-taker among the Indian fast bowlers in Test cricket, behind only the legendary Kapil Dev. A World Cup hero and big-time match-winner, Zaheer Khan, made it to the top fighting through all the struggles with perseverance. Here's a detailed Zaheer Khan Biography dignifying his service to the nation till now.
Zaheer Khan Biography
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 October 1978 Shrirampur, Maharashtra, India |
| Nickname | Zak, Zippy, Zakky |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Batting | Right-handed |
| Bowling | Left-Arm Fast Medium |
| Role | Bowler |
| International information | |
| National side | India (2000-2014) |
| Test debut | 10 November 2000 v Bangladesh |
| Last Test | 14 February 2014 v New Zealand |
| ODI debut | 3 October 2000 v Kenya |
| Last ODI | 4 August 2012 v Sri Lanka |
| ODI shirt no. | 34 |
| T20I debut | 1 December 2006 v South Africa |
| Last T20I | 2 October 2012 v South Africa |
| Domestic Career | |
| Years | Team |
| 1999-2006 | Baroda |
| 2004 | Surrey |
| 2006 | Worcestershire |
| 2006-2014 | Mumbai |
| 2008, 2011-2013 | Royal Challengers Bangalore |
| 2009-2010, 2014 | Mumbai Indians |
| 2015-2017 | Delhi Daredevils |
Early Life
Image Source: sportzcraazy.com
Zaheer was born on 7 October 1978 in Shrirampur in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra to Bakhtiyar and Zakia Khan. He played in the local Revenue Colony Cricket Club (RCC) in Shrirampur, after which he started his career in Pune. In 1996, Zaheer came to Mumbai, where he used to stay in a small room in a hospital. He trained in the National Cricket Camp under veteran coach Sudhir Naik and participated in the Kanga Cricket League, Comrade Shield, and the Purshottam Shield with the Division A team. Naik also helped Zaheer with a job ina Textile mill with a Rs 5000 salary to help with his daily needs. Meanwhile, he also played tennis ball cricket in his leisure time.
Zaheer was sent to MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai for better training and recognition after his consistent match-winning performances with the bowl. Impressed by Zaheer's talent, T A Shekhar, the bowling coach at MRF academy, pushed Zaheer into the Baroda Team. Zaheer continued with his magical run in cricket with Baroda, helping them lift the Ranji Trophy after 43 years. He was the Man of the Match in the 2000-01 Finals 13 wickets in the match. Meanwhile, he had already made his debut for the national team in 2000.
Who is the fastest bowler in India? Top 17 Fastest Bowler in India: Unleashing the Fury
International Career and IPL
Test Career
Image: Wikipedia
Zaheer made his international Test debut against Bangladesh in November of 2000. He scored 2 in the first innings while adding 1 in the second.
Nonetheless, Zaheer showed his excellence swinging the ball both ways and bowling consistently in the right areas with the new bowl. His pace and control impressed everyone at the top, including captain Sourav Ganguly. He knew that Zaheer could be India's solution to replace Sreenath who was heading into his late 30s.
Zaheer ended his career with 311 test wickets, behind only Kapil Dev to become the second most successful Indian fast bowler in test cricket. Zaheer also held the record of highest score by a number 11 batsman once, scoring 75 in a 133-run stand with Sachin Tendulkar against Bangladesh in 2004.
ODI Career
Image: HT
Zaheer Khan made his ODI debut in the same year against Kenya in the ICC Knockout Trophy 2000. With Ashish Nehra and Srinath, Zaheer formed India's first pace arsenal going in the 2003 ICC World Cup. Zaheer registered some great spells with the other 2 in the previous series and group stage matches of the tournament. But it all came crashing down in the Finals against Australia. Zaheer engaged in a verbal spat with the Australian opener Matthew Hayden and ended up as the most expensive Indian bowler conceding 67 runs in the 7 wicketless overs. This triggered his fall as injuries ruined his form and fitness. Zaheer was inconsistent in the Indian side till 2006.
His redemption to the Indian side came after he showcased splendid form and better fitness in the English county cricket. He gained his position back in the side and continued to dominate for the better part of the decade. But it was the big stage again where Zaheer had a lot to prove. Zaheer did not disappoint this time as he led the Indian bowling with 21 wickets becoming the joint highest wicket-taker of the tournament along with Shahid Afridi.
T-20I Career
Image: BCCI
Zaheer's T20 career began against South Africa in 2006. It was a short-lived career as he scalped 17 wickets in 17 matches, he played for the men in blue.
IPL Career of Zaheer Khan
Image: IPL
Zaheer Khan's IPL career began with RCB in 2008 following his return to the franchise in 2011 after spending 2 years with MI. In 2014, he was again signed by Mumbai Indians. He remains a part of the Delhi franchise as a mentor after playing for the side for 3 years since 2015.
For the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 2025 Indian Premier League, Zaheer Khan serves as their coach. Gautam Gambhir left for the Kolkata Knight Riders, and he took his spot. Khan was the director of cricket and then the head of global development for the Mumbai Indians from 2018 to 2022.
Top 10 Best Indian Bowlers of All Time | Legends in Action!
Career Stats: Zaheer Khan
Batting Stats
| M | Inn | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100 | 200 | 50 | 4s | 6s | |
| Test | 92 | 127 | 24 | 1231 | 75 | 11.95 | 2381 | 51.70 | – | – | 3 | 141 | 28 |
| ODI | 200 | 101 | 35 | 792 | 34* | 12.00 | 1078 | 73.46 | – | – | – | 69 | 24 |
| T20I | 17 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 6.50 | 10 | 130 | – | – | – | 0 | 1 |
| IPL | 100 | 32 | 18 | 117 | 23 | 8.36 | 141 | 82.98 | – | – | – | 11 | 2 |
Bowling Stats
| M | Inn | B | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Econ | Avg | SR | 5W | 10W | |
| Test | 92 | 165 | 18785 | 10247 | 311 | 7/87 | 10/149 | 3.27 | 32.95 | 60.4 | 11 | 1 |
| ODI | 200 | 197 | 10097 | 8301 | 282 | 5/42 | 5/42 | 4.93 | 29.44 | 35.8 | 1 | – |
| T20I | 17 | 17 | 352 | 448 | 17 | 4/19 | 4/19 | 7.64 | 26.35 | 20.71 | – | – |
| IPL | 100 | 99 | 2200 | 2782 | 102 | 4/17 | 4/17 | 7.59 | 27.27 | 21.57 | – | – |
Retirement and coaching career of Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan retired from all formats in international on 15 October 2015. He announced the same with a tweet saying, “I bid adieu to my career in international cricket. I look forward to signing off with IPL 9.” In 2017, Zaheer Khan was appointed as the bowling consultant of Indian Cricket to help groom talents like Jasprit Bumrah. From what we've seen till now from Bumrah, he has done a pretty good job, to say the least.
Zaheer Khan: Married Life
Credits: Twitter
On 24th April 2017, Zaheer announced his engagement with the famous Chak De India actress, Sagarika Ghatge. The couple got married later in the year on 23 November followed by a grand reception on 27 November in Mumbai. Sagarika Ghatge, the wife of Zaheer Khan is an Indian actress and a model.
Image: Instagram
Cricket player Zaheer Khan and Sagarika Ghatge welcomed a boy into the world as their first child together. Fatehsinh Khan is the name they have given their child. In a joint post, the couple revealed that the child would be born on April 16, 2025. A cute family photo was shared by the pair. Sagarika is seen in the picture placing her hands around Zaheer Khan’s shoulders as he holds his child in his lap.
Social Media: Zaheer Khan
FAQs
When did Zaheer Khan make his international debut?
Zaheer Khan made his ODI debut in 2000 against Kenya and his Test debut against Bangladesh in the same year.
What are Zaheer Khan’s notable achievements in cricket?
Zaheer Khan is known for his impressive bowling skills, taking 311 Test wickets and 282 ODI wickets in his career. He was also part of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning team.
Which IPL teams has Zaheer Khan played for?
Zaheer Khan played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
What is Zaheer Khan’s current role in cricket?
Zaheer Khan serves as the coach for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League and has previously worked as the director of cricket and head of global development for the Mumbai Indians.
Is Zaheer Khan married?
Yes, Zaheer Khan is married to actress Sagarika Ghatge, and they have a son named Fatehsinh Khan born on April 16, 2025.
