Ashish Nehra Recalls Dressing Room Atmosphere When He Made His India Debut
Published - 05 May 2020, 06:20 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:06 AM
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India’s veteran fast bowler Ashish Nehra sheds light on how he felt when he made a debut for India in international cricket. Nehra made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1999 and his ODI debut against Zimbabwe at Harare in 2001.
Ashish Nehra is known as one of the most fun-loving Indian players on and off the pitch. However, when he began his career, he was quite contrary to what he has evolved as over the years. Nehra was a quiet and passive lad when he first entered the Indian star-studded dressing room.
Ashish Nehra had now gone on to reveal what he actually felt when he walked into one of the most elite dressing rooms in world cricket for the first time.
Ashish Nehra Sheds Light On His International Debut
“I held a Kookaburra ball for the first time in my hand. Just imagine how times have changed. I am talking about 21 years ago when I had just two net sessions with a Kookaburra ball and went in to play my debut Test,” Nehra told former teammate Aakash Chopra on the latter’s show Aakashvani.
On his Test debut, Nehra started well, dismissing Marvan Atapattu early but then failed to pick up any more wickets.
“I first reached Chennai from Delhi and from there we left for Sri Lanka. At Chennai when they gave me the key to my room I asked them which one is Harbhajan Singh’s room because he is the only one I knew and with whom I could speak. It was very quiet at the hotel. Even during practice I sat next to Harbhajan,” Nehra added.
Just Sat And Admired Sachin Tendulkar And Mohammad Azharuddin: Ashish Nehra
Nehra said sharing the dressing room with then India captain Mohammad Azharuddin and Sachin Tendulkar was a different feeling altogether.
“It was a good experience but it was very quiet. I spent the first few minutes just looking at Mohammed Azharuddin and Sachin Tendulkar. Till then I had only seen them on television. There was no IPL in those days….these days players have a lot of exposure which is a good thing. When I made my debut, most of the people in the team had not even seen me bowl as domestic matches were not televised. It was a quiet debut but Harbhajan and I would enjoy whenever we would get a chance,” Nehra said.
Also Read: Cheteshwar Pujara Recalls Two Of His Most Crucial Innings For India
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