Last Update on: April 29th, 2020 at 05:03 pm
Former Indian pacer, Ashish Nehra celebrates his 41st birthday on Wednesday. Nehra had a career troubled with injuries and fitness issues. In an interview, he revealed that he had gone under as many as 12 surgeries. Due to fitness issues, he was absent from the national scene for extended stretches but was a part of the Indian team in two Cricket World Cup campaigns, two Asia Cups and three ICC Champions Trophy.
He had also been particularly effective in the Indian Premier League, in which he has represented five different teams. In January 2018, Royal Challengers Bangalore appointed Ashish Nehra as their bowling coach.
Ashish Nehra: As A Player
Nehra made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1999 and his ODI debut against Zimbabwe at Harare in 2001. On his Test debut, Nehra started out well, dismissing Marvan Atapattu early but then failed to pick up any more wickets. Similarly, he dismissed Alistair Campbell with only his 2nd ball in ODIs.
Statistically, Nehra proved to be a better ODI bowler than a Test bowler. In the 120 ODIs he played, Ashish Nehra scalped a total of 157 wickets for India at an average of 31.73 with a couple of five-wicket hauls. In Tests, however, Nehra could pick only 44 wickets in the 17 games he played at an average of 42.41. He has also picked more than 100 wickets in the IPL.
Ashish Nehra: What Is He Up To Now
Nehra played his last ever international match in a T20I against New Zealand on 1 November 2017. India won the game by 53 runs, with Nehra bowling the final over. On the eve of his farewell game, Delhi & District Cricket Association renamed one end of the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground as “Ashish Nehra End”. Thus Nehra became the second bowler in cricket history, after James Anderson, to have bowled from an end named after him.
In January 2018, Royal Challengers Bangalore appointed Ashish Nehra as their bowling coach. Nehra retained his position in 2019 version of IPL.
Ashish Nehra: A Look At His Lesser-Known Facts
MS Dhoni suggested Nehra’s name as the future bowling coach for India considering his massive experience, his ability to swing the ball both ways and his ability to bowl well under pressure. Nehra was the second oldest player to represent India in T20Is, at the age of 38 years 186 days, only exceeded by Rahul Dravid, who played at the age of 38 years 232 days.
After performing against Australia and Sri Lanka, he was promoted to India’s main bowler at the age of 36. He continued his good performances into the England T20 series in 2017, taking 3 for 28 in 2nd match. His bowling skills had been showcased to its full extent in IPL 8. He took 22 wickets in 16 games at an average of 20 with an economy of 7.2, proving his worth once again and was one of the highest wicket-takers in competition, only to lose to his teammate who won the purple cap; Dwayne Bravo. For his performances in 2015, he was named in the Cricinfo IPL XI for the season
Also Read: Paul Nixon Backs Chennai Super Kings To Win IPL 2020
