Never been bothered by criticism; Kohli, selectors know what I bring: Nehra

[sarcastic]

Ashish Nehra has been included in the side for the Australia T20Is after missing the one-off T20Is against Windies and Sri Lanka. © Getty

 

Ashish Nehra has been around for a long time, long enough to know what works for him and his injury-prone body. Success, failures, accolades, pitchforks - the left-arm paceman isn't a stranger to any of it. Now in the final laps of a noteworthy career, Nehra projects the same kind of relaxed confidence he's always had.

 

 

Nehra's inclusion in the Indian squad for the upcoming Australia T20Is surprised many, mostly because he is on the wrong end of his 30s and the next World T20 is a good three years away. He last donned the blue jersey in a T20I series earlier this year against England, before missing the one-off T20Is on the tours of West Indies and Sri Lanka respectively.

 

 

Speaking to PTI about his selection, Nehra expressed satisfaction at making a comeback. Happily oblivious to what critics have to say, he indicated that the only opinion which matters is that of the captain and the dressing room.

 

 

"Who isn't happy if he is playing for India? I have never been bothered by criticism. The Indian dressing room knows what I bring to the table. The skipper knows it, the selectors know it. If I am in the team, definitely, I must be contributing something," Nehra said on Monday (october 2).

 

 

The mention of social media got the veteran player chuckling. "I don't even know what people say about me on Twitter. Now people may have a notion that since I am not visible on social media and now that I am in the team, where was I during the period. Well, I was religiously following my training schedule, working on my fitness, doing my bowling routines.

 

 

"Things you actually do to make a comeback.

 

 

"Oh yes, people didn't know where I was but skipper Virat Kohli and chairman of selectors MSK Prasad were well aware of what I was doing," Nehra said.

 

 

At 38, Nehra is probably taking it one game at a time. He even says as much when asked about his goals.

 

 

"At my age, you don't set long term goals. I have been selected to play three games for India. I will take one game at a time.

 

 

"Waise bhi Ashish Nehra accha karega toh bhi news hai, accha nahi karega toh woh aur bhi badi news hain (If I do well, that's news, if I don't do well, that's even bigger news)," Nehra quips.

 

 

He points to his longevity and how he's kept going forward all these years. Playing for India - even if it means only a few more matches - it is something he still cherishes.

 

 

"Come February, 2018, I will complete 19 years in international cricket. Save myself and Harbhajan Singh, I don't think there is any player, who made their debuts under Mohammed Azharuddin. There has to be some kind of motivation that keeps a sportsman going," Nehra noted.

 

 

"And this stage of my career, I don't need to play for money. I have had 12 surgeries. Ask any sportsman, what it takes to recover from one and here I have been under the knife 12 times.

 

 

"Still in the morning, when I wake up, I am keen to go for training. That's the motivation."

 

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Is Ashish Nehra really slapping all the ICF pundits who are criticizing him/his selection in Indian team.

 

[sandeep]

Well said Nehra ji.  De taali.

[Rasgulla]

ICF pundits? Mohalla experts you mean 

 

Age shouldn't matter as long as he can perform  

[rkt.india]

4 minutes ago, Rasgulla said:

ICF pundits? Mohalla experts you mean 

 

Age shouldn't matter as long as he can perform  

But has he performed or is everything a perception?

[tweaker]

Why Ashish Nehra 

 

Why not try young pacer in T20 also

[SK_IH]

he gives teeth to the bowling attack 

[rkt.india]

Nehra's selection is high short-sighted. it is not like he is winning you games or is match winner. 

[beetle]

If we don't try youngsters in t 20 in silly bilaterals, then when? 

I seriously think ipl auctions this year have a role to play in these selections.

Hope we see some  changes after the auctions are done and dusted.

[speedheat]

Nehraji!! If you want to describe "gaali" as criticism then we can't help.

[Adi_91]

6 hours ago, MultiB48 said:

iske baad ishant bhi 40 tak khelega

Ishant had his traditional fall over after bowling a ball in the Duleep Trophy final. Sure, will go steady upto 40

[Khota]

How come noone is outraged if dhoni plays but everone is hissed off if Nehra does. Hypocrisy much.

[Laaloo]

40 minutes ago, Khota said:

How come noone is outraged if dhoni plays but everone is hissed off if Nehra does. Hypocrisy much.

Criticizing dhoni is like 

[sarcastic]

Very funny video by Cricinfo about what Ashish has to say

[Ankit_sharma03]

Good nehra g stays in present

Dangerous that team managment is staying in present. 

10 yrs of ipl yet our t20 side looks like odi side as always. 

 

Nehra g is taking one game at a time for next 3 games- gr8 attitude 

Team managment is missing 3 games to try so many youngsters. 

 

May be we are in denial that our t20 team needs a repair as our odi players are good enough to play the shortest format. Well that didnt go down well in any t20 wc post 2007. 

 

Or may be we still are not taking this format that seriously. 

[Khota]

3 hours ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

Good nehra g stays in present

Dangerous that team managment is staying in present. 

10 yrs of ipl yet our t20 side looks like odi side as always. 

 

Nehra g is taking one game at a time for next 3 games- gr8 attitude 

Team managment is missing 3 games to try so many youngsters. 

 

May be we are in denial that our t20 team needs a repair as our odi players are good enough to play the shortest format. Well that didnt go down well in any t20 wc post 2007. 

 

Or may be we still are not taking this format that seriously. 

We are not taking it seriously. They have no plan, no process and frankly I have no idea what they are doing. Should not have lost CT either especially with the depth India has.

[Ankit_sharma03]

11 hours ago, Khota said:

We are not taking it seriously. They have no plan, no process and frankly I have no idea what they are doing. Should not have lost CT either especially with the depth India has.

That can happen , u can have one off day actually almost whole of the team had an off day....i didnt expect us to go far then semis actually

M ok with defeats, but its the brand of conservative cricket that worries me.

 

We didnt gamble in selection during CT and played safe , the same thing is repeated in Wct20 over many yrs and nothing seems to be changing. 

[vvvslaxman]

His family? 

[Khota]

4 hours ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

That can happen , u can have one off day actually almost whole of the team had an off day....i didnt expect us to go far then semis actually

M ok with defeats, but its the brand of conservative cricket that worries me.

 

We didnt gamble in selection during CT and played safe , the same thing is repeated in Wct20 over many yrs and nothing seems to be changing. 

What bothered me was the 4 passengers and not playing Umesh. Before the finals I was thinking Inida probably has only good 15 overs and 35 would be junk. That is exactly what happened.