On this day in 2001, Ashish Nehra made his debut in the 50-overs format for India

On this day in 2001, Ashish Nehra, a left-arm fast bowler, made his 50-over debut for India, beginning a successful cricket career. It happened during the Coca-Cola Cup match between India and Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club. As we remember this occasion, let us consider the significance of Nehra's debut and his impact throughout his career.

About the ODI match

In his debut ODI match, India, led by Captain Sourav Ganguly, chose to field first after winning the toss. Nehra, entrusted with the new ball, spent little time making an impact. In just the second ball of his maiden over, he induced an edge from Alistair Campbell, comfortably pouched by wicketkeeper Sameer Dighe, setting the tone for his ODI career. 

Throughout the innings, Nehra continued to trouble the Zimbabwean batters, eventually finishing with figures of 2/33 in his quota of 10 overs. His contributions, along with those of Ajit Agarkar and Zaheer Khan, helped restrict Zimbabwe to a modest total of 133. Chasing a target of 134 runs, India's top order, led by Sachin Tendulkar's unbeaten 70* and supported by Hemang Badani's 52*, guided the team to a resounding nine-wicket victory.

Nehra’s World Cup debut

Nehra's impactful debut performance earned him a permanent spot on the Indian team. Over the years, he became known for his lethal bowling, particularly in crucial tournaments like the 2003 World Cup, where he played a pivotal role in India's journey to the final. Notably, Nehra etched his name in Indian cricket history by becoming the first player to claim two six-wicket hauls in ODI cricket, a feat he achieved against Sri Lanka in 2005, following his earlier achievement against England in 2003. His steady domestic and international cricket successes have won him recalls to the national squad, including appearances in the 2011 and 2016 T20 World Cups, where he was a key player in India's campaign.

Nehra’s legacy

Nehra bid farewell to his illustrious cricketing career in late 2017, making his final appearance in a Twenty20 international match against New Zealand on November 1, 2017, at the iconic Feroz Shah Kotla Ground. With 235 wickets across all formats, he left an indelible mark on the sport. Nehra's contributions to Indian cricket history are memorable because of his unique bowling action and adaptability with the new and old ball. Under the mentorship of Nehra, the Gujarat Titans clinched their inaugural trophy in 2022, marking a significant achievement for the team under his coaching leadership.

Best Test bowling

Zimbabwe won the second Test of India's tour of Zimbabwe by four wickets, which took place from June 15 to June 18, 2001. Nehra's finest Test bowling effort against Zimbabwe on June 15, 2001, at the Harare Sports Club was outstanding. He grabbed six wickets and conceded 117 runs.

Best ODI Bowling

In the 2002-2003 ICC World Cup, held on February 26, 2003, at Kingsmead in Durban, England scored 168 runs in 45.3 overs, while India scored 250/9 in their allotted 50 overs, winning by 82 runs. Ashish Nehra recorded his best ODI stats of six wickets for 23 runs.

Ashish Nehra celebrates an wicket 

Best T20I Bowling

At the 2009–2010 ICC World T20, Afghanistan scored 115/8 at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on May 1, 2010, while India required 14.5 overs to chase the total and score 116/3. India won the match by seven wickets. Ashish Nehra claimed three wickets for 19 runs.