‘At my age I don't set goals; I don’t play for money’

NEW DELHI : Ready for yet another international comeback, Ashish Nehra is hardly bothered about the cynics as he revels in the feeling of being a sought-after pacer for India at the age of 38.

Nehra has been recalled to the side for a three-match T20 series (the only format he plays), having last competed for the country against England, earlier this year. He had suffered an injury during the IPL after the England assignment at home.

“Who isn’t happy if he is playing for India? I have never been bothered by criticism. The Indian dressing room knows what I bring to the table. The skipper knows it, the selectors know it. If I am in the team, definitely, I must be contributing something,” said Nehra.

Asked about his targets, the genial Nehra replied: “At my age, you don’t set long-term goals. I have been selected to play three games for India. I will take one game at a time. Waise bhi Ashish Nehra accha karega toh bhi news hai, accha nahi karega toh woh aur bhi badi news hain (If I do well, that’s news, if I don’t do well, that’s even bigger news).”

He has recently started using a smartphone and by his admission is light years away from Facebook and Twitter. Does he get perturbed by all the Twitter jokes on his age?

“I don’t even know what people say about me on Twitter. Now people may have a notion that since I am not visible on social media and now that I am in the team, where was I during the period. Well, I was religiously following my training schedule, working on my fitness, doing my bowling routines. Things you actually do to make a comeback,” the answer said it all.

“Oh yes, people didn’t know where I was but skipper Virat Kohli and chairman of selectors MSK Prasad were well aware what I was doing,” added the Delhi speedster, who has played 26 T20 Internationals apart from 120 ODIs and 17 Test matches.

He is at the business end of his career but wearing the India jersey is still a motivation.

“Come February, I will complete 19 years in international cricket. Save myself and Harbhajan Singh, I don’t think there is any player who made his debut under Mohd Azharuddin, ”said Nehra.

“This stage of my career, I don’t need to play for money. I have had 12 surgeries. Ask any sportsman, what it takes to recover from one and here I have been under the knife 12 times.

“Still in the morning, when I wake up, I am keen to go for training. That’s the motivation.”