Ashish Nehra is a humble man, he has been nice to everyone: Mohammad Azharuddin

Indian veteran pacer Ashish Nehra called time on his career and announced that he will be playing his last match against New Zealand at the Kotla in Delhi. Nehra was in the cold for five years before making a successful return in the IPL last year. He then made a comeback to the Indian team and played a few games. During the press-conference recently, Nehra also added that he won’t take part in the upcoming IPL next year.

Former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, under whom Nehra made his debut in the year 1999, hailed the 38-year old pacer and at the same time said that he could have played more Test matches. The Indian pacer played just 17 Test matches and picked up 44 wickets.

Azharuddin knew about Nehra’s decision

“I knew about his retirement because I met him a few days back, before he joined the team for the ongoing series. He told me he was going to retire. I think he has taken a good decision. The way he played with so many injuries is remarkable. He is an outstanding bowler. But I think he should have played more Test cricket,” Azharuddin told Sportstar.

Injury woes

“As a bowler, I feel he was restricted to ODI cricket. He had the ability to play more Tests for his natural strengths — in-swing, out-swing and then, he also developed pace. Unfortunately, he lost out on injuries. He underwent some 10 to 12 operations,” he added. Nehra made his ODI debut two years later against Zimbabwe in 2001.

Many are aware of Nehra’s simplicity and the manner in which he carries himself. Azhar too, spoke highly of the pacer. He said “When you talk to him, you don’t feel like you are talking to Ashish Nehra. At the end of the day, you are known for your cricket but at the same time, you must also remember a person who has been this humble throughout his career. He has been nice to everyone.”