16/10/2015
One of the coolest pace bowlers I know. He was a bowler who could outthink the batsman most of the times. Always ready for a challenge, I am sure he will do well as he begins a new chapter in his life. Wishing ZAK all success in his retired life. — Sachin Tendulkar
Well done ZAK on a fantastic career. without U it wd hve been very difficult to achieve what the ICT did. most clever fast bowler I know... Life has just started now, U still can and definitely will contribute a lot to Indian Cricket. wish U all the success. — M.S. Dhoni
“To a great fast bowler & an even greater person, I wish you luck in all future endeavours. You have inspired many like me,” he said. — Virat Kohli
His contribution to Indian cricket is immense. Always a wicket-taking bowler and it was a pleasure to watch him bowl those dream spells. Zak was a match-winner not just with the conventional swing bowling but equally effective with the reverse swing too. — V.V.S. Laxman
Wonderful to have played with you Zak. great bowler great skill! Best wishes for the future. — Anil Kumble
He was a mentally very strong bowler and knew how to perform in international cricket. He was fair to himself and the game by deciding to quit. He was a pillar of strength in India’s fast bowling and served the team exceptionally well on unhelpful tracks, especially in the sub-continent. He was a complete bowler and I feel he can become an ideal bowling coach. — Aashish Nehra
First impressions: I saw him at the KSCA Diamond Jubilee tournament here in 1999 and 2000. He was playing for MRF and I for Indian Airlines. He did extremely well against us. I told the then-chairman of selectors, Chandu Borde, that we had to pick him for the Indian team. He was the best talent that we had at the time and he had all the qualities. He didn’t disappoint anybody from there on.
His bowling: He had a great action, good attitude. Had he taken care of his body, he would probably have got another 100 wickets easily. He made a real difference to India. Left-armers are always special. Anybody who’s bowling at that speed — 140 kph — will always come in handy. But Zaheer also had the capacity to bring the ball in, which made him very special.
Collective performance: World Cup in 2003 was the first time we used technology. That was the first time three or four fast bowlers sat together, watched videos, decided what line and length we had to bowl. That was the first time all the strategies fell in place for us. The results proved that until the final. — Javagal Srinath
Zak ur a king Bud! Loved playing with and against u! Congrats on a marvellous career, always a favorite of mine! — Dale Steyn
My go-to man. Perfect gentleman. Big Brother. And a legend in his own right. Good luck for your new innings. — Suresh Raina.
