How Ashish Nehra Got to Decide His Retirement Match

Did India’s veteran fast bowler Ashish Nehra decide his last match on his own?

File photo of Ashish Nehra.

(Photo: Reuters)

India’s veteran fast bowler Ashish Nehra is set to play his final international match at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, when India take on New Zealand in the first T20 on Wednesday, 1 November.

The 38-year-old announced his retirement from all forms of the game just before the third T20 between India and Australia. Nehra said he wants to retire on his home ground.

But did Nehra make his own retirement plans?

Announced Retirement Before Selection

Nehra, who didn’t play in the first two T20s against Australia, said that he wants to retire from the game on his home ground on 1 November.

Nehra made the statement when the Indian squad wasn’t even picked for the three-match T20 series against New Zealand.

Nehra announced his retirement on 12 October and the squad was selected on 23 October.

When I came into this series, I had come prepared to bowl. The day I joined squad, I spoke to the captain and coach [and told them] about my plan, because whenever Ashish Nehra is in the side, he plays in the XI, he doesn’t sit out, we’ve seen that in the T20s over the last couple of years. I feel Bhuvneshwar is ready and there is no big event in the next five or six months, like a World T20.

Ashish Nehra

Selectors Had No Choice

The selectors were left with no choice but to pick Nehra for the first T20 against New Zealand.

The chairman of selectors, MSK Prasad, expressed that the fast bowler was selected only for the first T20 and then younger bowlers would be included in the squad for the next two T20s.

At the press conference, Prasad made it clear that Nehra is in the squad, but the team management will take a call whether he will be in the 11 or not.

Who Will Nehra Replace?

After being left out for all the T20s against Australia, the team management have the task of bringing him into the 11 for his last match.

In Nehra’s last T20 match against England in February, the Delhi bowler as well as Jasprit Bumrah were the lead pacers in the 11, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar was left out.

The team management is likely to leave out Bhuvneshwar again to give Nehra a perfect farewell.

And since Bhuvneshwar had an off day in the third T20 against New Zealand with figures of 1/92, it makes the team management’s task a little bit easier.

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