Veteran Indian pacer Ashish Nehra played his last international game when the Men in Blue played the first T20I of 3-match series against New Zealand at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday. He had been off the field many times struggling with injuries in the past. Nehra finally hung his boots after playing 18 years of international cricket on Wednesday.
The Delhi seamer could not have imagined for a better end to his career, as he bid goodbye in front of his home spectators at the Feroz Shah Kotla.
Nehra had first played for India in a Test against Sri Lanka back in 1999. A little over 18 years later, the left-arm pacer played his last. The T20 format had not even taken shape at the competitive level when he started playing for India. It was not before 2009 that Nehra was actually introduced to the shortest format for India.
But he delivered like always and he now happens to be India’s third highest wicket-taker in T20Is behind R Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah with 34 wickets from 26 matches. He was successful in one-day cricket too with a tally of 157 wickets in 120 matches and 44 wickets in 17 Tests.
The 38-year-old came back to the international side after four years for India’s tour of Australia in January. A few weeks back he had announced an end to his 18-year old International career. Ashish Nehra was the toast of the day as India outclassed New Zealand by 53 runs in the first Twenty20 match.
Apart from all these, there is a photo of Virat Kohli and Ashish Nehra went viral on social media for years. In the photo, Nehra is seen honoring Kohli when he was a boy. The caption of this picture read that Nehra had awarded Kohli and now he resulted in playing under his captain-ship.
During the post-match presentation ceremony, Indian skipper Virat Kohli was asked to share his thoughts on a photograph with Nehra from 2003, where he can be seen receiving an award as a young kid.
“That was back in 2003 after he had come back from the World Cup. I was 13 then and struggling for a place in the school team. To have played 19 years is very hard for a fast bowler. I know how professional he’s been and how hard he’s worked. He deserved this kind of a farewell with the crowd cheering him. He can now spend time with his family, he’s got a beautiful family. We’ll stay in touch but we’ll miss him and I wish him all the best,” Kohli quoted.
After undergoing a dozen surgeries during his 18-year-long injury-littered international career, Nehra said it is his body that will be at peace post-retirement.
“I will miss all this. That`s what you train for. One thing which will definitely be at peace will be my body. I said earlier that I can go a couple more years, but there can`t be a better time to walk away. I last played Test cricket when I was 24 or 25, but at the end, to have played for 18 years and to be here standing in blue clothing and to have played my final match, I could not have asked for anything more. I have no regrets. I am always happy, retired or otherwise,” said Nehra.
“I’m not on social media but that picture has become popular now because where Virat Kohli is today. Otherwise, it was just a picture on the wall and nobody would have admired it. Now that picture belongs to Virat Kohli,” Nehra added.