Veteran pacer Ashish Nehra has hung his boots after stretching his career for over 18 years. The first T20I against New Zealand in Delhi winded his career up and team India gifted a win as his farewell gift. India overcomes from Kiwi’s ghost in T20 International and registered their first-ever win over them in this format.
Meanwhile, Nehra made it clear that it was not the selectors, but Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri with whom he shared his plan to retire. He, also, replied to chief selector MSK Prasad’s comment, where he said Nehra’s inclusion in his final match is not confirmed, only team management will make a final call.
“I don’t know. The chairman of selection committee has not spoken to me about this. You have asked me this question, and I can only tell you about my interaction with the team management. When I reached Ranchi, I told Virat about my plan, and his first reaction was, ‘Are you sure? You can still play IPL. You can play as coach-cum-player.’ I said no. I am retiring completely,” said Nehra.
He stated that it was by chance that this game scheduled in his hometown Delhi. “I have been saying this again and again. Luckily this game happened to be in Delhi. I have not asked for a farewell game or anything. This is perhaps one way that God has rewarded me for all the hard work I have put in over the last eight-nine years. I hope Virat and coach Ravi Shastri are part of the team management because those are the people I spoke to. I have not spoken to any selector over this issue” Nehra added.
“When I started playing cricket, I didn’t take any selector’s permission. When I am leaving, I am not leaving with their permission.”
The 38-year-old admitted that seeing Bhuvaneshwar Kumar doing so well give him a hint to take a final call over his career. “When I went there, I went with my plan. I felt that Bhuvneshwar Kumar was ready. If you had seen earlier, Bumrah and I have been playing. Even today people were wondering if Ashish Nehra will play or not, but if I was in the 15 today, I was obviously going to play. I didn’t come to just look around,” Nehra concluded.
India goes 1-0 up in the three-match T20I series after winning the first encounter by 53 runs. The next game is scheduled to be played in Rajkot on November 4.
