Cricket : Zaheer keeps getting under Aussie skin

India's bullish fast bowler Zaheer Khan has been a source of irritation to Australia for some years.

But his advance from flighty young tearaway to accomplished swing and seam artisan only seems to have made it worse.

Zaheer's first day exchange with Ricky Ponting has been described in various terms.

Most agree on the fact that he mentioned the Australian captain, just run out, was not as quick as he used to be.

Ponting responded by telling Zaheer to mind his own business and, perhaps, to "improve your bowling".

He certainly has.

For a long time Zaheer was the sort of player the Australians felt they had the measure of.

He had ability, sure, but he could be "got at", and was always destined to finish second-best against opposite numbers the quality of Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie.

In the 2003 World Cup final, he gave up 15 nervous first-over runs to Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, the first blow in a humiliating day for India.

Still, Zaheer maintained his aggressive postures, and over time he improved as a bowler while the Australians lost a little of their superiority.

All the while he made a point of speaking in a warlike manner, as in 2008 when he prefaced the series by deriding Ponting's record in India.

In Bangalore after the home side had escaped from a deep hole on the third day, most declared the first Test a points victory for the Australians.

Not so Zaheer, who let fly after winning the individual match award.

"They know they can't take 20 wickets and they are on the back foot," he said.

"They couldn't get me or Bhaji (Harbhajan Singh) out. So we are in with a big chance. They are under pressure - we know that.

"I have never seen an Australian team play such defensive cricket, which is a good thing for us.

"On a fifth-day pitch the spinners could not do us any harm. That shows what their spin attack is all about."

Ponting scoffed of course, but Zaheer turned out to be right.

This time around the pre-series talk from the Australians about Zaheer was far more reverent than in the past - Shane Watson termed him "extremely skillful".

It was a description as neatly applied to Zaheer's knack for provocation as to his ability to make the ball swerve.

- AAP