The history of Indian cricket is one of the richest stories we are happy to learn about. There have been a lot of top cricketers in Indian cricket which we have come to know. Though we have had some amazing batters and legendary spinners, we cannot forget the contribution of some great seamers as well. Though we are known to be a country who have produced some great spinners, there was always a talented seamer in the ranks.
In the late 90s and early 2000s Indian cricket had some great pacers in their ranks. These were the days where India had proven that they could also get some world class pacers in their team as well. The legacy of the Indian pace has grown from this era as well. This was the time where some left-arm seamers were making the ranks as well. Though we truly admire the contribution of Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan, there was one underrated bowler who was also born on the auspicious day of 29th April as well.
The prominence of Ashish Nehra
This is the day we should celebrate the career of one of the most talented left-arm seamers known as Ashish Nehra. Nehra who is currently the head coach of Gujarat Titans has turned 45 today and this is the time to celebrate his great career. Nehra has played 164 international matches and has taken 235 wickets in his career and has given some memorable performances for India. He was known for his slightly clingy action and ability to bowl with both the new and the old ball.
Nehra started his career in 1999 in Test matches and 2001 in ODI matches. It was the white ball format that gave him the most recognition with his variations and toe-crushing yorkers. Nehra started to come onto the scene in the 2003 World Cup where he was amongst the highest wicket-takers in the Indian side with 15 wickets from the 9 matches. This also includes a match-winning spell of 6/23 against England. He also made vital contributions in the 2011 World Cup triumph as well where he was the best bowler in the semi final vs Pakistan.
This might not have been the most decorated Indian career, but there were still some memorable moments that involved Nehraji. His return to the Indian T20I side was also a site to witness for the cricket fans not only for his bowling but for his on-field personality as well. It is safe to say that you might see many talented cricketers but none of them will be able to compare with Nehra at all. He will always be regarded as one of the most underrated pacers in Indian cricket.