Ashish Nehra - Unnoticed, unappreciated

Ashish Nehra was the second highest ODI wicket taker in world cricket from 2009 to 2011

30 March 2011. India defeat Pakistan in the semi final of the World Cup. It's a match which has been hyped more than arguably any other in our sport. Sachin Tendulkar wins the man of the match award for his scratchy 85. Virender Sehwag pulls off a 21 run over against Umar Gul, laden with 5 hits to the fence. A Pakistani fan suffers a heart attack. Wahab Riaz announces his arrival as yet another Wasim Akram reincarnation for Pakistan with a brilliant five wicket haul.

Somewhere between all of this, Ashish Nehra manages to break his finger, and then bowl a spell very important to India's victory. He goes unnoticed, as is always the case when he bowls well. Almost as if he didn't exist.

He missed the final because of the broken finger. And then, he just vanished. The selectors had decided that at 33, Nehra was done for good.

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Ashish Nehra is a mystery. For the average spectators, he has always been a source of amusement. Before the Rohit Sharmas, Ravindra Jadejas and Ishant Sharmas began to be trolled, it was Nehra who was the butt of all jokes.

The reasons varied. Sometimes, it was his expensive bowling at the death. Sometimes, it was his comical fielding or his hopelessly horrible batting. Other reasons included his desperately-in-need-of braces teeth and his love for bananas.

But for the more informed spectators and former players, Nehra was an exceptional bowler, capable of touching rarely seen highs. If it were not for injuries, he would have become one of India's best ever.

He had it all going for him. A good height, a lean build. His action was natural, as was his ability to swing the ball both ways. The pace, varying between 135-145 km/h, more than adequate for success at the international level. But then, luck never favoured him. He had more injuries than people have body parts. Some required surgery, some extensive physiotherapy. All of this ensured that Nehra spent the prime of his career on the sidelines, rarely being seen on the field.

From 2005 to mid 2009, he didn't play a single game for India. It was only from then until the 2011 World Cup that Nehra enjoyed an injury free run in the Indian team. It was no coincidence then that during this two year period, he was the second highest ODI wicket taker in world cricket.

MS Dhoni showed an amount of trust in him that Indian pacers never get from their captains. Match after match, series after series, Nehra bowled in the toughest situations, in the powerplays and at the death, against skilful batsmen and sloggers alike, succeeding much more than failing.

After all of this, his non-selection hurt. A weird sort of hurt. Not for a fan favourite, but for a cricketer's cricketer.

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When India won the World Cup in 2011, all the players were jumping up and down with joy. Some were crying, embracing each other. Nehra was just standing there, smiling, looking a bit awkward. There were no embraces with him, just a sort of side hug, trying to prevent anyone from unintentionally damaging his broken finger.

He is hardly visible in any of the victory celebrations. It was typical of him. To let others hog the limelight. And just be there. Unnoticed. Sometimes, unappreciated.

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On 19 December 2015, the Indian selectors met to pick the Indian team for the ODI and T20I tour to Australia next month.

There were a host of new names, and also Yuvraj Singh making a comeback. Also walking back into the T20 team was Ashish Nehra. At the age of 36, on the back of a splendid IPL season where he took 22 wickets in 16 matches.

The headlines did not mention the names of any of the youngsters, or of Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja who were returning to the fold after being injured and dropped respectively.

The headlines read "Nehra, Yuvraj return to T20 team".

Finally, after a career spent away from the limelight, Nehra managed himself a headline, and how.

Like his trademark celebration after taking a wicket, for one last time, we want to see Nehra spread his arms and fly with complete freedom in the final stage of what has been an amazing career.

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Nehra may not play a single game. He may get injured. Others may be preferred over him.

But he will know, and more than that we will know, that he went down fighting till his last legs. Through all those injuries, and the retirements of his team mates, Ashish Nehra never gave up. He did his job, unnoticed, unappreciated.