India’s veteran pacer Ashish Nehra has decided to hang up his boots from international cricket. The 38-year-old is currently a part of the Indian squad that is engaged in the T20I series against Australia although he hasn’t played in any of the 2 matches so far. According to reports, he is soon going to retire from the game at the highest level.
Nehra had considered calling it quits after the 3rd ODI against Australia in Hyderabad but given the Indian team is set to play versus New Zealand later this month at the Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi, in the first T20I, the pacer has expressed his desire to play his last game for the country at his home ground.
The pacer had discussed the intentions with the Indian skipper Virat Kohli and the team management after which they came to a conclusion. “He (Nehra) called the entire squad and said he is calling it quits from international cricket. That caught the entire team by surprise but he requested if he could play his last game at his home ground in Delhi,” a source told TOI.
“The team was easing him into top-flight cricket. He has not played any cricket after getting injured in the last IPL. He said he would have retired after the third match against Australia in Hyderabad. Since India play their next T20 in Delhi, Nehra prefers to play that match,” the official further added.
19 years of international cricket
Ashish Nehra made his international debut way back in 1999 under the captaincy of Mohammad Azharuddin. He could swing the ball at a fair clip then and became a prominent member of the squad. But his career was heavily marred by injuries and he couldn’t remain consistently in the side for long.
After being extinct from the side for close to 5 years, he made a tremendous comeback to the T20I squad on the back of some impressive performances in IPL while playing for Chennai Super Kings under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. He featured in the Asia Cup T20 and then, in the 2016 ICC World T20 as well.
The left-handed fast bowler last appeared for the country in a T20I against England earlier this year and then was omitted from the squad. But he was recalled to the side for the shortest format of the game against Australia. It will be fitting that the veteran retires after playing in front of his home crowd and on the ground where he grew up playing cricket. Additionally, he has decided not to play in the next year’s IPL as well.
