Watching IPL final on TV was more stressful than playing: Ashish Nehra

Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Ashish Nehra, who is recuperating in London from surgery to his right knee, says he was very nervous while watching Sunday’s final on TV.

Sunrisers Hyderabad emerged triumphant against host and fan favourites, Royal Challengers Bangalore to lift their maiden title in Sunday. The David Warner led side thumped RCB by 8 runs in the high-scoring final at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Nehra, who watched the final on TV with his wife Rushma and children Arush and Ariana at his in-laws’ house in London, shared his joy speaking to reporters minutes after the presentation ceremony on Sunday.

Speaking from his in-laws’ house in the British capital minutes after the IPL-9 presentation ceremony on Sunday, Nehra said: “I was positive throughout that we will win. I really missed being in Bangalore, but I’m happy that the boys managed to pull off a great win.” Nehra, who watched the final on TV with his wife Rushma and children (Arush and Ariana), played eight matches for SRH in IPL-9 and took nine wickets before suffering a high-grade tendon injury to his right knee.

“Watching the final (on TV) was very stressful. I’m less nervous when I am playing,” added the 37-year-old, who is expected to be on crutches for at least two weeks before returning to India for rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

Nehra was recently enjoying his successful comeback to international cricket after he made an impressive comeback to the national team at the start of the year. However, his season was cut short when he suffered a high-grade tendon injury to his right knee during a league-stage encounter against Kings XI Punjab which ruled him out of the tournament.