Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Ajit Agarkar also skipped optional practice in in extremely windy and demanding conditions at Basin Reserve, the venue of the first Test against New Zealand.
Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones said he was impressed by Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan in the first Test but found the visiting team's famed batting "substandard".
Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram has raised concerns over Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma's fitness, insisting the two Indian pacers have not bowled enough in the run-up to the Test series against Australia, starting on December 26.
Former Test captain Zaheer Abbas is likely to secure the important position of Chief Operating Officer in the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The former left-arm speedster also felt that the hundred struck by K L Rahul in the last and the fifth Test against England last week will bolster his confidence in the continental showpiece event being held in the UAE.
The Indian pace ace is training at the MRF Pace Academy under the legendary Dennis Lillee.
Royal Challengers Bangalore pace spearhead Zaheer Khan, who is set to play in the IPL after recovering from an injury, trained at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore under the watchful eyes of coach Ray Jennings.
Unlike many past and present day cricketers, including his teammates, India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan prefers to steer clear of playing the prediction game ahead of the coming World Cup.
Australian opener Matthew Hayden was happy that the ongoing Test series between his side and the Indians was being played in good spirit on and off the field but said he would have been disappointed had Zaheer Khan not been punished for sending him off during the Mohali Test.
Zaheer Khan will miss the opening Test of the home series against South Africa. The pace ace, who is undergoing treatment on his injured left heel, has ruled himself out of the first Test beginning in Chennai on March 26. Speaking to rediff.com Zaheer, who will represent the Rahul Dravid-led Bangalore Royal Challengers in the inaugural Indian Premier League next month said, "I'll certainly not be playing the first Test against South Africa."
In what might be a vital blow to India's chances, Zaheer Khan is doubtful for the third Test against England at Edgbaston.
Zaheer Khan was roundly booed by Indian supporters at the MCG for the flurry of no-balls but apparently there was a reason to it.
'We have taken all the recommendations of the CAC for Ravi Shastri as head coach and we will further discuss with him appointment of other coaches. We have set up a committee and they will speak to them (CAC), communicate with them after talking to Shastri. The support-staff has been decided in consultation with the head coach'
'I suppose all the excitement of the past few weeks caught up with me.'
India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan would be out of action for six weeks due to an ankle injury that kept him out of the second Test against Australia which started in Sydney on Wednesday.
He, along with Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan and Mohammad Kaif, had walked the ramp for a designer duo at the Lakme India Fashion Week.
Senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar will boost Mumbai's batting in their Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Baroda, in Mumbai from January 6, but the 39-time champions will miss pace spearhead Zaheer Khan, who is sidelined with a calf injury.
Out-of-action fast bowler Zaheer Khan said he was proud of the way Team India performed in Perth.
India's depleted pace attack lost much of its sting on Wednesday with spearhead Zaheer Khan being ruled out for the rest of the Australia tour with a heel injury, prompting the Cricket Board to send Punjab pacer VRV Singh as his replacement.
Removing a couple of Sri Lankan top order batsmen on the truncated opening day was not a bad effort but Zaheer Khan wants his bowling colleagues to be more aggressive on Thursday to get early breakthroughs and pin down the hosts in the first cricket Test.
Zaheer Khan failed to find a place in newly-crowned Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai's squad for the five-day Irani Cup match against the Rest of India, beginning at the Wankhede stadium on February 6, as he has not yet recovered from the calf injury sustained at the start of this month.
Sachin Tendulkar benefited from an excellent series against South Africa and moved to No 21 in the LG ICC batting rankings.
He is yet to recover from a groin injury and seemed uncertain to play the one-off one-dayer on Saturday.
The left-arm pacer suffered a hip strain while bowling in the 2nd ODI of the Afro-Asia Cup.
Zaheer Khan has jumped ten places to 27th position in the latest ODI Player Rankings.
Bangladesh were 58 for 5 in the first innings in reply to India 610 for 3 at close on Day 2 in the second Test.
Former captain Javed Miandad has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for removing team manager Zaheer Abbas in the wake of last month's Oval test fiasco.
Averages in the three-Test series between England and India, won 1-0 by India on Monday.
Zaheer Khan has leaked runs in the two matches India played in the tri-series in Mirpur so far but his junior India team-mate Virat Kohli feels the pace spearhead is experience enough to come up with a strong performance in the next couple of games.
The Indian left-arm seamer said he would like to continue his association with Worcestershire after enjoying a successful stint this season.
Senior cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan were on Thursday included among the probables for the Mumbai Ranji Trophy squad for the 2012-2013 domestic season.
Sri Lanka 'A' were all out for 325 on the first day of the four-day Duleep Trophy match against West Zone.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Saturday defended beleaguered speedster Zaheer Khan, calling him the "Sachin Tendulkar of Indian bowling" but at the same time indicated a few changes in the team line-up for the last World T20 group match against England in Colombo on Sunday.
Zaheer Khan discusses India's chances in the upcoming World T20 in March-April. Harish Kotian/Rediff.com listens in.
Mumbai Indians left-arm pace bowler Zaheer Khan is unlikely to play against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in their IPL clash at the Wankhede stadium on Tuesday, after injuring his bowling arm in the previous game.
The former Pakistan captain is likely to be replaced as team manager for the ICC Champions Trophy following his "failure" to play a stronger role in the Oval Test fiasco.
India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan has been included in the Mumbai squad for the Ranji Trophy game against Orissa starting November 29 which also be his fitness test ahead of India's tour Down Under.
With youngsters such as Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron making their presence felt, India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan cannot take his place for granted, feels former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram.Zaheer, recovering from an ankle surgery, had missed out on India's England tour and the current West Indies series but is expected to play in Australia next month.
