The comeback of Ashish Nehra for the T20I series Australia was expected as selectors are pretty much impressed with the 38-year-old pacer in the shortest format of the game.
With Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami not being considered for this form of the game, the responsibility on Nehra increases as he is not just the most senior member of the team, but also a mentor to the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Nehra, who las played an ODI in the year 2011, does not consider himself fit for the 50 over format but now, it has been revealed that selectors considered Nehra for a place in the team for ICC Champions Trophy 2017. It was an injury which ruled him out of the equation,
“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,” a BCCI official told PTI.
Further, the source also added that Nehra would continue to be the part of the team in the shortest format of the game if he is fit,
“Ashish if the 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,” he added.
A comeback of Ashish Nehra has taken everyone by surprise as before the year 2016; no one thought that Nehra would make a comeback in team India. He was surprisingly picked for the tour to Australia and then retained his place till 2016 T20 World Cup. An injury forced him to miss India tour of Zimbabwe and the Windies, but as the son he got fit, Nehra was recalled to team India for T20I series against England early this year.
Though he has done well in the number of games he has played, still, the question remains what selectors and team management are looking at by giving him chances in the shortest format of the game, where every team tries to field young boys and let them enjoy their game.