Top 7 Indian Sultans of Swing: Exponents of a Mysterious Craft

#1 Zaheer Khan

Zaheer Khan could swing the ball both ways

Zaheer Khan is probably Indian cricket’s rocket man. Late in-swinging yorkers that Indians watched in amazement from Waqar Younis and Akram became a normal phenomenon once the fast left-armer burst onto the scene.

In his very first tournament at the Champions Trophy in Nairobi, he helped India outdo Australia and that was the beginning of a new era with India, finally shedding its mediocre-team tag to become a world-beater.

A county stint and a series of injuries after which he returned fitter and meaner were crucial in shaping the Zaheer we all knew from the latter part of his career. Zaheer had it all – wily, mean, always hatching plots with fellow bowlers as the leader of the pack and making the ball move even on unpersuadable Indian pitches.

Zaheer Khan is India’s second highest wicket-taker across all formats with 597 wickets – 269 in ODIs (third behind Javagal Srinath and Ajit Agarkar) and 311 in Tests (2nd behind Kapil Dev).

Zaheer was especially known for getting the ball to reverse late, although he did possess a wicked out-swinger to the left-handers which curves in and troubles all opening right-handed batsmen getting many of them trapped plumb in front, when pitched on middle. He also had the one that moved away from the right-hander or just held its line.