Comebacks are much more difficult than debuts: Ashish Nehra on his return at 36

Kolkata: Back in the national cricket team after being ignored for almost five years, veteran India pacer Ashish Nehra on Sunday said it is tougher to make a comeback than making a debut. The 37-year-old last played for India in the semifinal of the victorious 2011 World Cup campaign against Pakistan. After missing the final due to a finger injury, he was overlooked for nearly five years before being recalled for the three-match T20 series against Australia last month. “It’s very difficult to make a comeback. Comebacks are much more difficult than debuts. I’ve made a comeback after 36,” said Nehra at the open media session before the Indian team’s departure to Bangladesh for the Asia Cup. [caption id=“attachment_2636034” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Ashish Nehra vs Australia. Getty Images[/caption] He said it was tough for the pacers to keep performing. “It’s not easy for pacers to keep performing day in and day out. There will be pressure. You have to keep working hard. I train to play international cricket, not aim to play only domestic cricket,” said Nehra. Since his return to the T20 side, Nehra has picked seven wickets in six matches against Australia and Sri Lanka. “You don’t play many T20Is. IPL is a great help for us when it comes to T20 cricket. You get used to it as a bowler. You just practice according. It’s not a big deal for me. I’m somebody bowling up front or one or two overs in the death. The more you play, the better you become,” he said. On his chemistry with young pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Nehra said, “It’s a good experience. It is not that I always tell him the things. We are two completely different kind of bowlers…Different actions. We’re having a good partnership. Hopefully, we can do well in next couple of months. Nehra feels that everyone has to contribute on the field whether he is a junior or a senior. “I don’t believe in that but everybody has to contribute. On the field, I always try to talk to Hardik (Pandya) and I’m happy to do that job. Everybody has seen what Bumrah and Pandya have done recently. PTI