Zaheer Khan has requested the board to rest for West Indies tour

Tags: Pakistan tour of West indies - 2011, India, Zaheer Khan, India tour of West Indies 2011

Published on: May 05, 2011

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has stated that India 's left-arm fast bowler, Zaheer Khan, has requested the board to rest him for the limited overs part of the West Indies tour.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has stated that India 's left-arm fast bowler, Zaheer Khan, has requested the board to rest him for the limited overs part of the West Indies tour.

Zaheer is considered the spearhead of the Indian bowling line-up and has performed exceptionally well for the last couple of years in all formats of the game. He was also the joint top wicket-taker of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 with Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and had claimed 21 scalps.

However, he has been playing regularly for India for the last couple of years and has asked for a well deserved rest. Since the Men in Blue leave for West Indies right after the conclusion of the ongoing Indian Premier League, Khan will not have the time to rest and recover. His below-par performance for Royal Challengers Bangalore also reflects how thinly worn the player is right now.

Indian Pacer has informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India about his concern and will write to it officially on May 10, 2011. It is learnt that the BCCI will not force him to play the ODIs and T20 game againstWest Indies.

A BCCI official said that India have important tours to England and Australia coming up, so if any player asks for rest, there was no harm in giving it to them.

The BCCI spokesperson also said, “He has informed the Board informally. And before the selection committee meets on May 10 he will be writing to the BCCI secretary. The Board will not force him to play the ODIs and T20 game. India has a bunch of tours lined up and we need a fit Zaheer in England and Australia. If any player asks for rest then there is no harm in it, as earlier too we have given rest to players who have asked for it.”

Zaheer Khan is one of the fastest bowlers of the Indian cricket team. He started his International cricket career in 2000 against Kenya. In his remarkable 191 One Dayers he has taken 273 wickets at an average of 28.84.

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