Khaleel Ahmed Sought Help From Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan as he Eyes India Comeback

Left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed also emphasized his commitment to managing his travel schedule, while prioritizing his physical well-being.

Khaleel Ahmed Sought Help From Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan as he Eyes India Comeback

Khaleel Ahmed disclosed the support that he got from Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan, following hernia surgery. (via Crictracker)

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Indian left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed credited Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan for helping him out, while recovering from a serious medical condition. The Rajasthan-born pacer also revealed the efforts that he has put in, hoping to make a comeback to the Indian national cricket team.

Khaleel Ahmed first made his debut for India back in 2018, against Hong Kong in the Asia Cup, and his T20I debut against the West Indies, later that year. Unlike many of his contemporaries, the 27-year-old has however, fallen out-of-favor, only making 11 ODI and 18 T20I appearances since then. In the 11 ODIs that he played in, Khaleel has picked up 15 wickets, and another 16 wickets in 18 T20I appearances.

He did make a brief comeback to international cricket last year, playing in T20I series against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, and was also a reserve for India’s 2024 T20 World Cup squad. However, Khaleel Ahmed is still vying to become a regular for the team. A major part of his career was interrupted by a hernia surgery that he underwent, which even resulted in him missing out of the 2022-23 domestic cricket season. 

Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Khaleel Ahmed described how he had to start from ‘zero’ after his surgery, admitting that he struggled even to walk properly at first. He then acknowledged the support that he received from two former Indian bowling greats, Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan.

Ahmed disclosed that Pathan spent a lot of time training with him, helping him manage his seam, while Khan advised the 27-year-old on how to improve in red-ball cricket. 

I had to start from zero [after surgery], including learning how to walk. Irfan [Pathan] bhai spent a lot of time with me. He showed me how I can keep my seam upright, and also helped me sharpen my skills.

Khaleel Ahmed also talked about the efforts that he has put in since 2023, working on his body and trying to stay fit enough to bowl both short and long spells, while also adding new skills, such as late-swinging the ball. The 27-year-old pacer elaborated on his wish for return to the national team setup, stating that while IPL performances are easily forgotten, playing for the nation leaves behind a legacy.

He [Irfan Pathan] and Zaheer [Khan] bhai also advised me on how I could do well in red-ball cricket. I am fortunate and grateful to have had them available whenever I wanted to speak to them.

The Rajasthan-born pacer’s numbers in domestic cricket and the IPL have been good since the 2023-24 season, having picked up a total of 111 wickets in 66 matches. For CSK in the 2025 IPL season, he finished with 15 wickets in 14 matches, strengthening his case for a return to the national team.

Khaleel Ahmed’s County and India ‘A’ Form Puts Him in Contention for West Indies Red-Ball Series

Left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed is vying to make his way into the Indian Test side, with eyes set on playing in the next home Test series against West Indies. For the two Tests against the Windies in October, the Men in Blue could rest several key players, paving the way for Khaleel to break into the squad. 

Khaleel Ahmed Test cricket
Khaleel Ahmed will be hoping to make his way into the Indian red-ball side, ahead of the upcoming West Indies series. (via NewsBytes)

Khaleel did play for India ‘A’ during the two-off practice matches against England ‘Lions’, ahead of the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. He finished with impressive figures of 4/76 across both the innings. In first-class cricket, he has been one of the top performers since the 2023-24 season, taking 49 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 26.40.

Following the India ‘A’ tour to England, where Khaleel played alongside many of the senior squad players, he signed a two-month long deal with County Championship side Essex. However, the left-arm pacer only played two first-class matches for the English side during the season, taking four wickets, before ending his stint early for personal reasons.

A strong performance in the upcoming Duleep Trophy, where Khaleel Ahmed has been picked to play for the Central Zone team, could put him in contention for a place in India’s Test side. He however, faces stiff competition from Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Kumar, and Arshdeep Singh. 

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