Ashish Nehra (1999-2017): The journey in pictures

At 36, Nehra made a spectacular return

A surprising recall, courtesy another good IPL season where he was the fourth highest wicket-taker, helped Nehra make a comeback just months before his 37th birthday. People questioned his place in the side, but he showed remarkable adaptability to remain relevant to the team’s cause, evolving into a T20 specialist.

He evolved admirably to become a T20 specialist

It was ideal for an ageing Nehra; the creaking bones could allow him only four overs, but even in those 24 deliveries, he showed flashes of brilliance.

Nehra had enough fuel left to play in the Asia Cup and World T20

Unsurprisingly, he broke down yet again, this time midway through the 2016 IPL season. Before that, however, he played in Australia, was part of the Asia Cup and even featured in the World T20, taking 16 wickets from 15 games that year.

In 2017, Nehra managed yet another recall, and showed flashes of brilliance

After the hamstring injury, another recall would have been incomprehensible. Remarkably, Nehra managed it once again, and was recalled for the T20s against England. In the 2nd T20I at Nagpur, he gave a remarkable display of death bowling, choking the run-chase in the company of Jasprit Bumrah, with figures of 4-0-28-3.

With Bumrah emerging as an automatic choice, Nehra decided to step away

Incredibly, even after another hamstring injury, he returned, this time as a 38-year-old, in the final leg of his career. This time, he found himself in a scenario where fitness was the prerogative, and creaking bones were being hurled aside. A man who played on his own terms, Nehra decided to retire, asking the management for a farewell game at Feroz Shah Kotla, the very ground where his legend began.

Nehra will play his last game against New Zealand on November 1

He might not be the quickest, the most fashionable, or the fittest bowler to have played, but Nehra made sure that he won’t be a forgotten commodity in Indian cricket.