Nehra decides to quit on a high

Questioned whether there would be another comeback of sorts, a sober Nehra asserted that his call to quit was final. “I am not even playing IPL, so you can judge my decision. I am always the person who sticks to what I say,” he signed off.

Nehra has picked 44 Test wickets, besides 157 ODI and 34 T20I scalps.

Left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra said that he decided to quit on a high and always felt he should leave when people ask why and not why not.

“Yes, before I spoke about my retirement, it has come out. But, it is not fake news. It is my own decision. It was not an overnight decision to quit the game. I have given it a lot of thought,” Nehra said on the eve of the T-20 international against Australia at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Thursday.

Azharuddin: ‘Nehra could have played more Tests’

“The way Bhuvi and Bumrah are bowling, I felt it was right time to take the final call and the way to look forward,” he said.

“And, there is nothing big coming up, like a World Cup. Importantly it can’t get bigger than playing in front of my home crowd in Delhi against New Zealand in the T-20 international. That was the venue where I played my first Ranji game 20 years,” Nehra said.

“I have not decided on what role should I don in future – a coach, a mentor. Right now, I am thinking only of November 1 when I will be playing my last game,” the fast bowler said.

Read: Nehra set to retire from international cricket

“Unfortunately, people remember you only when you are playing for India or IPL now. Conveniently forgetting that you keep playing domestic day in and out. After all, only 15 players can play for India and at the most 25 across the three formats,” Nehra said.

“Character comes when you are not doing well and bounce back. I am glad that I have done it many times as I have seen so many ups and downs,” says a smiling Nehra. “Every time the captain gives the ball to you, it is like he knows you are good enough to take wickets,” he said.

“Yes, it is a tough decision. But they (all the teammates, captain and the coach) respect my decision” he said to a query.

  When Nehra bamboozled batsmen with the ball

“I can’t single out any one particular memorable moment in my career. I am one of those who look at playing the game every day as a memorable experience. I enjoyed the game at every level,” the fast bowler, who hasn’t figured in the first two T-20 internationals in the series against Aussies, said.

On playing under different captains, Nehra refused to draw himself into any comparisons. “I don’t like them at all. I played most of my cricket under Sourav Ganguly, then Rahul and others. Each one of them has a different style and approach. Like in any human being, everyone has his own strengths and weaknesses,” he said.

Questioned whether there would be another comeback of sorts, a sober Nehra asserted that his call to quit was final. “I am not even playing IPL, so you can judge my decision. I am always the person who sticks to what I say,” he signed off.