Nehra said the key to bowling well at the death, for which he praised teammate and man-of-the-match Jasprit Bumrah, is to “keep backing yourself mentally”.
“You practice the skills in the nets, but I personally feel as a bowler it is mental toughness that counts. It is not the first time that Jasprit and I are bowling together in the death. It’s always difficult for a bowler to bowl four overs in the death with a wet ball.
“When I came they needed 32 off four overs, and I knew this has to be over where we have to pull it off. Luckily it happened that over went for five or six and Ben Stokes got out. We were back in the game, but my last over was fine till the last ball went for a six. Had I picked up a wicket, we would have had 15 to defend in the final over and Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling is not easy to score. He still did the job.”
Nehra said Bumrah’s speciality was in death over bowling.
“I was confident after (Jos) Buttler got out that Jasprit will do the job. I have been playing T20s with him for the last one year and he backs himself in the death. Bumrah’s strength is bowling with the old ball – whether it’s the slower ball or yorker. He’s learning day by day and he will only get better from here.
“In the one-day series we saw 350 and 380 were scored but Bumrah still bowled five or at least three overs in the end. He will have to be mentally strong from here that in a match with 360 or 380 being scored, you will probably be hit for 75-odd runs if you bowl four overs in the end. His growth will be an asset in the coming time for Indian cricket.”
Asked to compare his own bowling with that of younger teammate, Nehra said they are “completely different bowlers.”
