Ashish Nehra with the ball is as good as anyone: Sourav Ganguly

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly has been part of many close finishes during his playing days and he had a word of praise for both Jasprit Bumrah and experienced campaigner Ashish Nehra for holding their nerves and making it count during the 2nd T20I between India and England at Nagpur yesterday (29th January).

“Ashish Nehra is a terrific bowler. His fielding has gone down a bit but I think with the ball, he has done superbly. There were questions raised after the last game in Kanpur whether he should be playing T20 cricket. Today with the ball he once again proved that with the ball he’s probably as good as anyone in the side,” Ganguly told India Today.

The visitors needed 32 runs from four overs, and later it closed up to 8 runs off 6 balls. But the 23-year-old Bumrah conceded just two runs and picked up the wickets of Jos Buttler and Joe Root. “You have to give credit to Jasprit Bumrah…eight runs in the last over, six deliveries and only England had to lose the game and that’s exactly what they did. He bowled superbly, his slower balls gripped on the surface and made life difficult but more than Nehra who I thought had an exceptional first spell, the last two overs of Bumrah which is the 18th and the 20th won the game for India.”

Bumrah was awarded the man of the match for his match-winning figures of 2/20. Nehra on the other hand, bowled his heart out, scalping three wickets in his quota of four overs. “I think it’s got to be Jasprit Bumrah because he has won the game for India. In his third last over he pushed up the run-rate to 12 runs in an over and Ashish gave 16 and it was eight runs in the last over and he again pulled it back for India. So for me it is Bumrah who is the man-of-the-match and I thought he bowled exceptionally well under pressure” he added.

Also read- Poor umpiring decision cost us the game: Eoin Morgan

India will now meet England for the 3rd and decisive T20I at Bengaluru on 1st February.