Ashish Nehra Confirms He Will Retire After NZ T20 at Home Ground

Ashish Nehra has decided to retire from international cricket after the first T20 against New Zealand on 1 November.

File photo of Ashish Nehra.

(Photo: Reuters)

There was speculation late on Wednesday evening but now Ashish Nehra has confirmed himself that he will be retiring from international cricket on the 1st of November after India’s T20 match at Delhi against New Zealand.

It’s my own decision. Match on 1 November is in Delhi. There’s no bigger thing than to retire in your home town.

Ashish Nehra

The 38-year-old confirmed that once he retires, he will not even be playing the Indian Premier League.

If I have decided something, there is no going back. If I retire, I won’t even play the IPL.

Also Read: The Four Phases of Ashish Nehra’s 19-Year Career

According to a senior BCCI official privy to the development, the 38-year-old Nehra has intimated his decision to chief coach Ravi Shastri and skipper Virat Kohli. With ICC not slotting any World T20 in 2018, Nehra apparently told the team management that it is only fair that performing juniors have a longer rope.

Making his India debut back in 1999 under Mohammed Azharuddin, Nehra has so far played 17 Tests, 120 ODIs and 26 T20 Internationals for the country.

He has picked 44 Test wickets, besides 157 ODI and 34 T20 scalps.

Yes, Ashish has told both Ravi and Virat that he does not want to continue beyond 1 November when India play New Zealand at the Feroz Shah Kotla. Obviously, there is some element of surprise. One thought that he would like to continue till the home season against Sri Lanka. But he feels, it’s the right time to move on.

Senior BCCI Official

File photo of Ashish Nehra (L) and Jasprit Bumrah (R).(Photo: Reuters)

Nehra was recently picked for the three-match T20 International series against Australia but everyone was surprised when he did not figure in the playing eleven for the first two matches.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah are in form bowlers and Ashish felt that it’s only fair in the interest of the team that they continue. Bhuvi has improved as a T20 bowler in leaps and bounds and Ashish said that the pair should continue. Had there not been a match at Kotla next month, Ashish would have retired after playing the third T20 International at Hyderabad on 13 October.

Senior BCCI Official

The Kotla T20 will give Nehra a chance to finish his injury-plagued career at his home ground.

He is best remembered for his 6 for 23 against England at Durban in the 2003 World Cup, a match he played despite being unwell and frequently throwing up in between his overs.

He was also a part of the 2011 World Cup-winning squad with a match-turning performance in the semi-final against Pakistan. He missed the final due to a finger fracture.

It is learnt that a few IPL franchises want Nehra as their bowling coach-cum-mentor as his expertise and knowledge with the white ball is considered to be unparalleled.

(This story has been updated.)

(Breathe In, Breathe Out: Are you finding it tough to breathe polluted air? Join hands with FIT in partnership with #MyRightToBreathe to find a solution to pollution. Send in your suggestions to [e-mail] or WhatsApp @ [phone])