Zaheer Khan, the former Indian fast bowler, stood out from many pace bowlers, who usually bring a lot of fire and aggression. When they’re running in, you know something is about to happen. Zaheer had his moments of celebration, with some loud roars, but he wasn’t the type to get under your skin like Mitchell Johnson. But there was a memorable incident during the 2007 tour of England, at the second Test in Trent Bridge, that showed a different side of him.
To understand what happened, a bit of background from the first Test is helpful. England had just come off a drawn match at Lord’s, which they should have won if not for rain ruining the last day when they needed 98 runs with one wicket left. That left them feeling frustrated, especially after they only managed 198 runs in their first innings. India, on the other hand, posted a huge total of 481 runs when it was their turn to bat.
The incident kicked off when India was at 464/7, and Zaheer noticed a jelly bean on the stumps near his crease. He wasn’t having it and quickly called it out, putting Kevin Pietersen on the spot too. The umpires had to step in after Zaheer said more had been tossed at the wicket after his first ball. While it might’ve been some harmless fun for the English team, tensions from the previous Test had already flared, making this playful move feel a bit disrespectful.
Chris Tremlett, the England bowler from that time, recalled the incident. He said that after fielding for two days, sometimes you need to lighten things up a bit. But he admitted they probably picked the wrong target with Zaheer. He noted that Ian Bell was likely the mastermind behind the whole thing.
Zaheer definitely wasn’t cool with it, and he made sure England felt the consequences. Captain Michael Vaughan scored a century, but Zaheer tore through the English batting lineup, taking five wickets and fittingly dismissing Ian Bell for a duck. This moment was crucial in India’s famous series win on English soil. England ended up all out for 355, and India chased down a small target of 73 with no trouble at all.