Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali hailed Ashish Nehra as the best cricketing mind he has seen, highlighting the latter’s deep tactical awareness and sharp game sense from their time together at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Nehra was appointed RCB’s bowling coach in 2018-19, marking his first major coaching stint. While the franchise struggled with balance during these seasons, it was here that Moeen first noticed the former India pacer’s deep tactical understanding of the game.
Nehra was handed full structural control as the head coach for Gujarat Titans' (GT) inaugural season. He guided GT to IPL title in their very first year, making him the first Indian coach to win the coveted trophy.
Nehra proved the debut season was no fluke by guiding the Titans to a consecutive final appearance, cementing his status as a premier master strategist. GT also made it to the IPL 2026 final and have failed to qualify for the playoffs only once in five seasons so far.
“For me, a cricketing brain is somebody who knows almost every situation of the game. Someone who’s got an answer—or a theory—for every situation. Like, they just talk about all aspects. ‘Why he’s not that good, why he is good, what should happen in this situation, what could happen’," Moeen said on Beard Before Wicket.
“But he’s got something. And behind that something, there’s either data or evidence. Like, ‘It’s happened before, and this happened, and this is why this can happen.’ So the name I am going to give is Ashish Nehra. He is the coach of Gujarat; I had him at RCB for a couple of years. When it comes to cricket brain, this guy knows what he’s talking about. Knows how to get a team environment going, knows how to deal with people, players, and coaches. Amazing, amazing cricket brain," he explained.
Nehra's signature coaching style—characterized by his relaxed demeanor on the boundary lines, constant communication with his players, and simple, clutter-free advice—has made him a favorite among international and domestic stars alike.
While speculations link him to India head coach role after Gautam Gambhir’s tenure ends in 2027, Nehra has openly mentioned in interviews that he is not keen on a nine-month travel schedule demanded by packed international calendar while his children are young.
