The leg-spinner has managed to pick 76 wickets across 22 Test matches for India.
In a country containing a population in excess of 130 Crore, competition is the last thing a player can avoid. India leg-spinner Amit Mishra faced a lot of competition in his playing days, with bowlers like Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja taking over the mantle. However, there has always been a lot of speculation over his rift with then skipper MS Dhoni.
With top-quality spinners always crowding the side ahead of every team selection, the skipper and management were put through a stern test every single time. However, according to Amit Mishra, the skipper’s ability to remain calm and composed won every battle on the field. Apparently, the leg-spinner has put every doubt about a rift between him and MS Dhoni to rest.
The 43-year-old expressed his opinions via an interview on a podcast. He stated that there would always be two sides of looking at the situation. For all the spectators who said that MS Dhoni’s presence in the side made things difficult for Amit Mishra, the leggie questioned the statements, stating that it was because of MS Dhoni that he kept coming into the side.
“People say if Dhoni was not there my career would have been better. But who knows if he was not there maybe I would not even have been in the team. So there is a positive way to look at things”, said the leg-spinner on the podcast.
ALSO READ:
In the stint of any captain at the helm, one goes through a heap of tough decisions to make and tough conversations to be had. However, MS Dhoni was no different. The leg-spinner expressed his gratitude towards the then Indian skipper, stating that there were numerous occasions when MS Dhoni guided him in the middle of games.
Having the support of the skipper is what most players crave. There were speculations of a rift between MS Dhoni and Amit Mishra, after the latter was not included to the playing XI on a couple of occasions. However, it would be important to understand that the skipper would be struggling to choose between players with the likes of Jadeja and Ashwin, who added to the quality of the side.
Mishra recalled an instance from his last ODI series, which was against New Zealand. India has scored a par-total of 260-270, and that is why Amit Mishra thought of attempting to save the runs rather than going for wickets. Hence, his lines were defensive, in an attempt to not let the batters off the hook. However, after a couple of overs, MS Dhoni approached the leggie and communicated his observations, which made Mishra alter his plans.
“He told me not to think a lot and bowl what I always do. I did that and then got a wicket. He told me this is your bowling, bowl exactly this, don’t think a lot. It was a game-changing spell. I picked up five wickets, and I think that was also my best spell’, said Amit Mishra.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
