Ashish Nehra Picks The Best Performance Of The Decade

As the cricket fraternity is saying goodbye to 2019, many cricket experts, former cricketers, cricket associations and boards picked their favourite cricket memory of the decade while also naming their best playing XI in Tests, ODIs and T20Is of the decade. Meanwhile, former Indian cricket team pacer Ashish Nehra picked the best performance of the decade.

Nehra picked his former teammate VVS Laxman’s 96-run indelible knock against South Africa during the second Test in Durban in 2010 as the performance of the decade. It was an innings that proved to be significant for the touring party as they won the thrilling encounter by 87 runs to level three-match series 1-1.

Nehra also went on praise Nathan Lyon for his incredible bowling figures of 8/50 against India in Bengaluru as it came in Indian soil. “I was torn between VVS and Nathan Lyon’s 8 for 50 in Bengaluru. Lyon’s was a great performance because it came against Indians batting in India. Importantly, it was the first day of the Test match.

Yes, there was a little moisture in the pitch, and because of that he was getting a turn, but that was only for the first hour or 90 minutes. An Australian finger spinner taking eight wickets is something spectacular,” Ashish Nehra wrote for ESPNCricinfo.

Ashish Nehra reveals why he opted VVS Laxman instead of Nathan Lyon

Though he had doubts in mind whether to pick VVS Laxman or Nathan Lyon, in the end, he went for VVS Laxman because of the circumstances with which VVS Laxman defied all the odds to touch the pinnacle of success. “However, in the end, I opted for VVS, because of the circumstances. When India reached Durban, they were behind in the series already. They had lost badly by an innings in Centurion in the first Test,” he added.

When all others failed to score runs, it was VVS Laxman who stayed till the end and scored bravely against the likes of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. “VVS’ innings was crucial: it was the reason India could set a formidable target of close to 300 for South Africa to chase. The Durban wicket was very tough to bat on, against a South African bowling attack that had Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, who were on top of their game at the time. Other than VVS, nobody barring Viru [Virender Sehwag] even touched 30,” Nehra added.

Read More: VVS Laxman Reveals His Favourite Moment Of Indian Cricket In 2019