Team India pacer Ashish Nehra announces retirement, to play his last game vs New Zealand

Hyderabad: Veteran Indian pacer Ashish Nehra on Thursday confirmed that he would be retiring from all forms of cricket after the opening Twenty20 International of the three-match series against New Zealand, which is to be held at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi on November 1.

Nehra said that he has spoken with the Indian cricket team management and also with MSK Prasad, the chairman of the selection committee, regarding his decision to retire at his home town.

"I have decided that, and it is my own decision. I have spoken to the team management as well as the chairman of the selection committee. The match on November 1 against New Zealand in Delhi will be my last. There's no bigger thing than that you retiring at your home town. I played my first Ranji Trophy here match 20 years back," Nehra told the reporters.

The 38-year-old further said that it was not an overnight decision and that he had given a good thought to it, keeping in mind the way Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been bowling in the past few months.

"Whatever I am today is because of cricket. It is not an overnight decision. I have given it a good thought, especially looking at the way Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are bowling. Though I had entered the ongoing series with the mindset of playing, I had already put my point of view before the captain and coach regarding my future. I think Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) and (Jasprit) Bumrah are doing really well. And that this is the right time for me to go," he added.

Nehra, who plays for Delhi in the Indian Premier League (IPL), further revealed that he would not play in the country's T20 League as well after his retirement.

"It is good for me that people believe that I can still play. It's like always good to retire when you are on top. It was a tough decision for me. But they all respect my decision. If I have decided something, there is no going back. If I retire, I won't even play the IPL," Nehra said.

The left-arm pacer, who made his India debut back in 1999 under Mohammad Azharuddin, represented the country in 17 Tests, 120 ODIs and 26 T20Is.

He has picked 44 Test wickets, besides 157 ODI and 34 T20 wickets.

Nehra is best remembered for his superb bowling spell against England at Durban in the 2003 ICC World Cup, where he picked six wickets for just 23 runs.

He had to fight injuries throughout his 18-year-old long career. During the said period, he underwent as many as 12 surgeries and many other small setbacks.

Nehra is also a part of the current India T20 squad for the ongoing three-match series against Australia.