'Nehraji from Ashish Nehra end': Kotla names playing end after retiring cricketer for a day

When Ashish Nehra opened the attack for India in the second innings of the T20 international match against New Zealand, the veteran created another record. Nehra became only the second bowler to bowl from an end named after himself. Only James Anderson of England has achieved this unique distinction before him.   

Paying tribute to the retiring Ashish Nehra, the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) on Wehnesday named one of the playing ends at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium after the veteran seamer. This will be only for a day, though, it was learnt.

The first Twenty20 International between India and New Zealand was the 38-year-old Nehra's final competitive game. 'Ashish Nehra End' was written, for a day, on the first tier in the centre of the Ambedkar Stadium Stand.

Nehra, who finished with the figures of 4-0-29-0, was unlucky not to get a wicket as two catches were dropped off his bowling.  

Earlier, at the toss, India skipper Virat Kohli also paid tribute to the seamer whose 18-year-old international career was characterised by many injuries and many comebacks.

"Ashish Nehra is playing. Nineteen years as a fast bowler is a great achievement. One of the smartest guys I've played with, always loves helping youngsters. It's sad to see him go," Kohli, who has been Nehra's state-mate also, said about the Delhi player.

In a video posted by BCCI, India cricketers Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Dinesh Karthik and Ajinkya Rahane spoke about Nehra and his career.
Owing to prolonged injury worries, Nehra could not take more than 44 wickets in Test cricket in 17 matches. His limited overs career record has been far more impressive with 157 wickets from 120 ODI matches, besides 34 scalps from 26 T20 Internationals.

Nehra's career started with a Test match against Sri Lanka back in Colombo in 1999.

Nehra was part of the Sourav Ganguly-led team that reached the final of the 2003 World Cup, and his most memorable moment was also witnessed during the same tournament when he demolished England with a fine spell of 6/23.

He later went on to win the World Cup in 2011, under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's captaincy. 

(With PTI Inputs)