Zaheer Khan is straining at the leash

Zaheer Khan is straining at the leash. "I am fully fit and raring to bowl in South Africa, where conditions are favourable for a medium pacer," he told the Press Trust of India in Mumbai.

The 22-year-old left-arm pacer has come up against the South Africans only once before. That was in an ICC Knockout match in Nairobi when he bowled five overs at them. He though is confident that he can sort out his opponents with help from his coach John Wright. "I have not got any opportunity to study them, but our team coach will help me with this."

Zaheer feels if that knowledge is then backed up by "bowling a perfect line and length", he will definitely end up being one of the Indian success stories on the helpful tracks there.

The right sound bytes indeed. The glitch though is that in recent times no Indian fast bowler has got that last bit right. Precision bowling still is the domain of the Shaun Pollocks and Glenn McGraths of the fast bowling world.

Zaheer though is a game trier and that rarest of Indian rarities - a fast bowler with loads of attitude. A modest young man, he is also very disciplined and open to suggestions.

He is presently getting himself in shape for his first tour of the land of Springboks by following the training programme laid out by Indian physio Andrew Leipus. He will also be spending time with 'Pace Guru' Dennis Lillee at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai.

The three years that Zaheer had earlier spent at the Foundation played a significant role in getting him his international break. It was under Lillee's guidance that he became the "fastest in the land" and it is not surprising that he still swears by his guru. In fact, up until now he was the only Indian pacer who regularly visited the Foundation.

The latest visit should help. For after his stunning debut in the ICC Knockout, Zaheer has struggled on the unforgiving wickets of the sub-continent where India have played most of their recent matches. Twenty two wickets in eight Tests at an average of 38.69 doesn't make for flattering reading. A sevenwicket haul in the second Test at Kandy in Sri Lanka though indicated that he might be regaining his rhythm.

What the man from Baroda will now need to rediscover are those spearing yorkers which first marked him out as a bowler of potential. He must also learn to be consistently intimidating as a bowler. Inconsistency has been the bane of Indian cricket for long and the young man will do well to avoid getting into the rut.

If he can set the savannahs on fire in the next couple of months, Zaheer Khan will return as the hero of a nation of billion people. For a man who will celebrate his 23rd birthday on October 7, that surely is one mega present worth going for.