Amit Mishra - the unsung hero

Since coming back into reckoning to the Indian limited-overs side last July, Mishra has had just one bad game against Australia when he went wicket-less for 78 runs in a high-scoring game at Nagpur in October. The 31-year-old's recent performance in limited overs games has shown that he is almost certain to take a wicket in each game. In the last nine months, Mishra has taken 25 international wickets in 10 games (8 ODIs, 2 T20Is), including 18 wickets in a 5-ODI series in Zimbabwe.  

On his return to the playing eleven against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, he took two wickets and gave away 28 runs in 10 overs, following it up with 21 runs and a wicket against Afghanistan. Perhaps it explains why Mishra is part of the eleven for the ongoing International Cricket Council World Twenty20 (T20) in Bangladesh, though only as a third spinner. The pitches in use here are nearly as slow as the ones in the Asia Cup, and Mishra has made full use of them, returning 22 runs and two wickets (versus Pakistan) and 18 runs and two wickets (versus the West Indies) in India’s opening wins at Mirpur.

One big difference is that Mishra brings a lot of colour to the Indian bowling attack. He is a leg-spinner who gets the ball to turn and bowls at much slower pace than anyone else in the attack. His bowling speeds are late 70s-early 80s kmph, which is a lot slower and that has made a huge difference

“I always think positive things, I am not one for thinking about the negative,” said Mishra after the game against Pakistan on 21 March, talking about how he copes with sitting on the bench for a long time and then performing as soon as he comes off it. “I always try to improve myself, talk to our coaches, the captain M.S. Dhoni. They help me improve myself and not think about the fact that I am sitting out match after match.”

His performance in the World T20 is all the more incredible when you consider that the matches against Pakistan and West Indies were only his second and third T20 Internationals ever, respectively. He has, however, been a lynchpin in the domestic T20s, playing prominent roles in the competitive Indian Premier League (IPL) for Delhi Daredevils, Deccan Chargers and Sunrisers Hyderabad. In 118 T20 matches, he boasts of a wicket every 17 balls, with 149 wickets taken at an economy rate of 6.75. He has three IPL hat-tricks to his name, a feat unmatched by any other bowler.

At age 31, Mishra stands at the crossroads. Oblivion is not an option, nor is a return to the old ways, awaiting that one chance. This World T20 could be the turning point for this leg-spinner.

In the coming days, two Super Ten stage matches against Bangladesh and Australia are lined up, and a potential first semi-final spot since their win in the inaugural 2007 tournament in South Africa is on the horizon. Putting two and two together, it can be assumed that Mishra will not be the one sitting out this time.

Abhishek De