IPL 2022 Final: Ashish Nehra joined a select list of cricketers who have won the IPL trophy both as a player and a head coach. The former India pacer oversaw Gujarat Titans’ run to the top step of the podium in 2022.
UPDATED: May 30, 2022 08:53 IST
HIGHLIGHTS
- Ashish Nehra became the first Indian to win IPL trophy in head coach role
- Nehra oversaw Gujarat Titans’ dream season in IPL 2022
- Hardik Pandya shone as Gujarat defeated Rajasthan in Sunday’s final
Former India fast bowler Ashish Nehra on Sunday scripted history on Sunday, May 29 as he became the first Indian in a head coach capacity to win the Indian Premier League trophy. Nehra oversaw Gujarat Titans’ victory over Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 20222 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Incidentally, Ashish Nehra won his first IPL title as a player on May 29, exactly 6 years ago. Nehra was part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad that lifted the IPL trophy under David Warner.
Nehra joins a select few, including Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne, to have won the IPL both as a player and head coach.
Before Sunday’s final, no Indian head coach had laid hands on the IPL trophy. While Anil Kumble mentored Mumbai Indians’ IPL-winning teams in 2013 and 2015, success has eluded the legendary leg-spinner as head coach of Punjab Kings.
NEHRA-KIRSTEN DUO STRIKES GOLD
Nehra worked as the bowling coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore along with Gary Kirsten, who served as their head coach. However, the two were sacked after the 2019 season.
Nehra and Kirsten reunited at Gujarat Titans, this time as head coach and mentor, respectively.
Speaking after Gujarat Titans’ IPL triumph, mentor Kirsten said he enjoyed working with Nehra, rating him as one of the finest tacticians going around.
“I’ve loved working with Ashish, he’s really strong tactically – trying to put a game plan together on the fly is not easy. There are so many variables in each game, but what I’ve enjoyed has been the responsibility players have taken to win games for us,” Kirsten said.
Not many had Gujarat Titans as their picks at the start of the IPL 2022 season, but the newbies have rallied against the odds, proving their naysayers wrong. Gujarat also became only the 2nd team after Chennai Super Kings to win the IPL final in front of their home crowd.
The Narendra Modi Stadium was buzzing on Sunday, hosting more than 1 lakh spectators for the final between GT and Rajasthan Royals. The crowd erupted in joy when Shubman Gill hit the winning six as Gujarat successfully chased down a target of 131 in just 18.1 overs.
It was Gujarat’s bowlers who did the trick on Sunday as Hardik Pandya led from the front picking up as many as 3 wickets to cap off a dream season in which the Titans have found new heroes in every game.
As usual, Hardik and Nehra remained calm and composed even as the rest of the Gujarat Titans dug-out stormed onto the pitch to celebrate the historic triumph.