New Delhi: For a pacer, who is already 38, a future in cricket is indeed a risk. It sounds cliche, but for Ashish Nehra, age is just a number. Now, he finds himself, once again, in the centre of action after getting selected for the upcoming T20I series against Australia.
Earlier in January, after making yet another successful comeback to international cricket, Nehra had said that "age is just a number".
"Regarding age, unfortunately in India, if you keep performing well then people will praise you. And if the team loses couple of matches, then people won't criticize the rest of the 15 but will say Ashish Nehra should be dropped. It doesn't make a difference to me but age is just a number," he had said then.
Fast forward, the left-arm pacer found himself as a part of the 15-member Indian team for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Australia.
Questions will be asked, regarding his age and fitness, especially considering how 35-year-old Yuvraj Singh got sidelined.
Defending the selection, a BCCI official privy to selection matters told PTI on condition of anonymity that "Ashish Nehra played the last full T20 series against England earlier this year. He was in contention to play Champions Trophy but an injury during IPL put paid to his hopes. India's last two T20s were one-off games against West Indies and Sri Lanka, so Ashish wasn't picked."
Nehra has played 26 T20Is for India, taking 34 wickets. And he still commands respect from the world's best batsman, a fact reflected in his Indian Premier League (IPL) outings for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
He then took a break from cricket to undergo a knee surgery after the IPL.
"Ashish if fit was due for a comeback as and when there would have been a three-match T20 series. There isn't anyone craftier than Ashish and when it comes to his selection, it's about fitness and not form. Check records, Ashish has never been dropped because of poor form," the official added.
But Nehra is determined to play as long as possible for India.
"I know how hard it is to stay fit because I'm a fast bowler and I bowl in the beginning and end both. But I'm enjoying my game and till my body is fit, I'll keep trying and playing. I played the last game after 7-8 months but I didn't feel I was short of practice or anything. When you are playing day in and day out, you get better with time but I personally don't feel that rusty or anything," he had said.
Nehra, with all his experience and guile, will be one of Virat Kohli's main weapons against the Aussies in the T20I series.
And he will continue to inspire generations with his ethic and dedication.
