Ashish Nehra profile

Profile Ashish Nehra

Ashish Nehra Statistics

Born: 29 April 1979, Delhi
Major Teams: Delhi, India.
Known As: Ashish Nehra
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Left Arm Medium Fast

Profile:

Ashish Nehra's selection for the Asian Test Championship match against Sri Lanka at Colombo in February 1999 came as a surprise for he was then in the midst of his second first class season and had done little to suggest he was ready for the highest level. With Javagal Srinath resting a sore shin, Nehra was named to the squad and he sneaked ahead of Laxmi Ratan Shukla into the playing eleven. Still two months short of his twentieth birthday, the leftarmer trapped Marvan Atapattu leg before in his third over for his only success.

Nehra has been in sensational form in the 2000-01 first class season, grabbing 36 wickets at 12.83 in five games for Delhi in the zonal league. In the Duleep Trophy, he played a generous hand in North Zone's title triumph with 14 wickets at less than 20 apiece, including figures of 7/14 against East Zone at Guwahati. Having been named in the 25 probables for the Test series against Australia, Nehra is clearly bracing to slip back imminently into the national team.

Test Debut: India v Sri Lanka at Colombo, Asia-Test, 1998/99
ODI Debut: India v Zimbabwe at Harare, Coca-Cola Cup (Zimbabwe), 2001

Indian media salutes Nehra's six-wicket burst 27 February 2003 NEW DELHI, Feb 27 - Left-arm bowler Ashish Nehra's match-winning six for 23 against England on Wednesday has been hailed by the Indian media as one of the great one-day spells. The lanky New Delhi bowler, who almost missed the match due to an ankle injury, bowled India to an 82-run victory over England in their World Cup Group A match to stay on course for a place in the tournament's Super Six stage. "Nehra began the day sitting in the dressing room, waiting for his fitness test... He ended it with six wickets for 23, the third-best bowling figures in World Cup history," the Indian Express said in an article headlined: "Ashish Wednesday". Left-armer Zaheer Khan and the experienced Javagal Srinath also contributed in a rare display of top-class pace bowling for India, traditionally known to rely on spin. "Nehra bowled 10 inspired, lethal overs in one single spell to destroy England almost single-handed and to redefine the face of Indian cricket: roll over batsmen, the pace attack is winning matches," the Indian Express added. Large pictures of Nehra, who had never taken more than three wickets in a one-day match before Wednesday, were splashed on all the leading dailies. "Rarely has one seen an Indian opening attack, spearheaded by Ashish Nehra's chilling, searing spell, bowl with the kind of venom, speed, movement and accuracy as they did under floodlights at Kingsmead," said the Hindustan Times. In an article headlined "Nehra lives a dream, England a nightmare", the paper added: "The way England played and missed, they might has well have been facing the wrath of a (Dennis) Lillee or a (Jeff) Thomson." India now have 16 points from five matches, with an encounter against traditional rivals Pakistan on Saturday. England, with 12 points, will have to beat world champions Australia in their last group match on Sunday to stay in the hunt for a berth in the next stage.