Bowl as fast as you can when you are young: Zaheer Khan

Thoughts on retirement

I was preparing for the season when I figured things were coming to an end. I just went ahead with the decision. It was clear that it was time for me to walk away from the game.

Zak the bowler to Zak the coach?

It is pretty early right now but in whatever capacity I can, I would like to stay connected with the game. There are various things you can do to stay connected with the game. I'll see what is the best way for me to stay connected.

Can a county stint help the current set of fast bowlers?

Personally, I have always

endorsed that bowling more and more helps you better your rhythm and keeps your body going. Considering that I have always endorsed playing more matches. The more matches you play, the more experience you gain and you learn new things and you get better at it.

How would you manage bowlers?

Throughout my career I've been helping. Whatever advice I've been asked for. I've never shied away from going up to them and sharing my thoughts. If the time demands, I would do that.

How did you cope with injuries in your career?

One thing which stands out is - control the controllables. When you're in a situation like that. No one really feels happy when they get injured. When you go through the whole process, it is really frustrating staying away from the game. You've just got to take things under your control and control the controllables and do the right things, and make sure that you're not 100 % but 120 % when you come back.

Can variations in fast bowling be coached to a fast bowler?

It just happened over the years (for me). As I played more and more international cricket. With experience, I evolved as a bowler. There has been a lot of advice around cutting short my run-up and when I got time away from the game, I actually could do that in domestic game and when I actually played county. I had the opportunity to cut short on my run-up and going more for control over line and length.

I think every individual is his best coach.

How did you deal with the pressure of being an Indian fast bowler?

I've just enjoyed the process. Going out there on the field, in whichever capacity I can, create those breakthroughs and just being there out on the field and giving your best.

Order of priorty - Pace, Skill and Fitness?

It has to be combination of all. You can't just point it out like that. All the things are critical and it also depends on the situation and the kind of wicket you're playing on - in terms of adapting to that.

I do feel that when you're young, you should just look to bowl as fast as you can. Your bowling muscles are still developing, so that's the time you should go for pace. You can figure the other things as you play more and more and when you settle and know more about your body.

Why did you bring back the training facilities that you saw in France?

I mean this was something I wanted to try. I wanted to get away and go to an isolated place and train. So that was the thought process behind going to France. I had to have a stringent stint of training. I thought that to get through to the finish line, I felt that I needed to add some power. Since I had already started it there, this was just an extention of that.

2003 WC final or not playing 100 Tests - Regrets?

Neither. All my experiences have been part of a good learning curve. In fact the 2003 final actually helped me prepare better for the 2011 final. So, everything happens for a reason and you just take it in your stride as a cricketer. There's nothing that I would like to change. The experiences have taught me a lot.

Graeme Smith or Sangakkara - who did you enjoy bowling to?

Both are extremely good players, have tremendous records and have proved themselves at the highest level. I've enjoyed more luck with Smith than Sanga for sure, but at the same time I've enjoyed bowling to both right-handers and left-handers and I've always enjoyed any challenge that was kept in front of me.

On a fast bowler's 'relationship' with fielding

I have always considered myself to be a safe-enough fielder all through my career.