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Quality tweaker playing for recognition

Vijay Lokapally

NEW DELHI: Amit Mishra, a leg-spinner of wile and guile, may not have yet played much international cricket but he is one bowler who knows how to get the best out of himself. He just enjoys bowling.

In the nets, bowling for club, state or zone, he is untiring, feeding even the tail-enders with the same enthusiasm that would greet a frontline senior.

“His energy is infectious and he is quite a tough bowler to handle even in the nets because he likes to compete relentlessly. I have always had faith in his abilities,” says Virender Sehwag, his skipper at Oil and Natural Gas Commission.

His spin, line and length can really be a stumper’s joy and he keeps the slips on their toes too. “In domestic cricket, I have to ensure I have alert close-in fielders for him,” asserts Haryana coach Vijay Yadav.

Variety, his forte

Mishra is a slow bowler with a difference. Variety is his forte. You name it, he can produce it at will. He reads his opponent before testing him in a match situation. Veteran commentator Tony Cozier, watching Mishra scalp five at the Ferozeshah Kotla against Deccan Chargers the other night in the Indian Premier League, was impressed. “It is such a delight to watch him. He looks so natural and reminds me of some of the bowlers from the past when flight was such a wonderful asset.”

Flight is, indeed, Mishra’s most lethal weapon. “Flight is my strong point. I would say that (the flighted delivery) is my stock ball. Line and length are crucial but for me there is nothing like flight to beat the batsman. Honestly, the opponent doesn’t matter. I will flight the ball,” insists Mishra.

Even in a Twenty20 match? “Yes. Even in a Twenty20 match. Flight, line and length have nothing to do with the format. Of course, much depends on the match situation but this is one aspect of my bowling that I will never discard.”

Recognition

As Mishra notes, it is strange that the four overs against the Hyderabad outfit should attract so much attention while all the work he put in over the last eight years went unnoticed, even in his own backyard.

“I had some tough periods but kept telling myself to enjoy even the bad times. It was not easy but my family backed me. My team-mates at ONGC and Haryana backed me.”

Mishra’s ambition was in keeping with his character — to remain honest to the game. “My dream was to play cricket, to bowl long spells. I also want to play for India. Even if I don’t, it would not stop me from giving my best to my club or my state or my zone. I just want to play cricket. If, someday, I play it wearing the India cap it would give me the greatest joy of my life.”

He did play for India in three ODI matches five years ago in Dhaka but could bowl only in two.

“My learning process continues. I interact a lot and know that I have to perform to get back recognition at the highest level. Viru (Sehwag) and Gautam (Gambhir) keep reminding me I have to take it ball by ball. Their support has been my biggest asset, really,” says Mishra, known to be extremely humble.

From watching Shane Warne for his bewitching art and his control over the ball, Mishra has grown into a mature bowler. “Warne has always been a special person in my life. Look at his amazing variations. I would like to imbibe his ability to turn the ball big and also the revolution he imparts.”

“I am not playing the IPL for money. I am playing for recognition,” asserts Mishra.

Recognition is coming his way now as all and sundry have woken up to the existence of a quality leg-spinner.

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