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Amit Mishra points out at lack of communication regarding selection snub

Dixit Bhargav
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Amit Mishra points out at lack of communication regarding selection snub

Amit Mishra points out at lack of communication: The veteran spinner has expressed displeasure around communication with the selection committee.

Veteran India and Delhi Capitals spinner Amit Mishra believes that the Indian Premier League is becoming difficult for the spinners with each passing year despite giving a lot of talent to the Indian team.

“IPL has kept on getting difficult with each passing season, especially it has been difficult for the spinners. I have played the tournament for 12 years now, this would have been my 13th, India has gotten a lot of talent through this tournament, many young players also got financial help through this competition,” Mishra was quoted as saying by Sports Tak.

Mishra, who made his IPL debut for Delhi Capitals in 2008, returned for his second stint at Delhi in 2015. Had it not been for the novel COVID-19 pandemic, the 37-year old player would have been playing his ninth season with the franchise.

Having picked 157 wickets in 147 matches at an average of 24.19, an economy rate of 7.35 and a strike rate of 19.75, Mishra is currently the second-highest wicket-taker in the biggest T20 league. Being asked about playing the 13th season behind closed doors, Mishra laid emphasis on the coping with the coronavirus first.

“Things regarding coronavirus need to get normal first, we should give two-three months and then take a call on playing the tournament. Playing cricket is necessary but we should give some time to coronavirus, hopefully things will settle down by then,” Mishra said.

Apart from Mishra, Australia spearhead Pat Cummins and veteran India spinner Harbhajan Singh have also put forward their opinion on playing IPL 2020 without spectators.

Amit Mishra points out at lack of communication regarding selection snub

Mishra, who last played for India during the homes T20I series against England in 2017, also pointed out lack of communication as a reason behind him not playing for India for more than three years now.

Mishra, who registered his second five-wicket haul (6-2-18-5) in the last ODI he played, opened up on how he didn’t get to play an ODI thereafter. In his last 10 ODIs, the leg-spinner had picked 21 wicket at an average of 22.52, an economy rate of 4.98 and a strike rate of 27.

Mishra, who played his last ODI on 29/10/2016, was India’s second-highest wicket-taker that year with 15 wickets in five ODIs at an average of 14.33, an economy rate of 4.79 and a strike rate of 17.9.

“I was Man of the Series against New Zealand and Man of the Match in the fifth ODI. I wasn’t included in playing XI for one-days against England. I only played the third T20I. I bowled well in that. I got injured while playing that game. I had a word with Anil [Kumble] bhai [the then head coach], who told me to get fit. I was in NCA for seven to eight months. I had a word with selectors while I was getting fit…there was no response from them.

“Then I got a message from physio to be match fit. I played and scalped 20-22 wickets in three matches. I played one-day, T20 and IPL after getting fit… but there was no communication, no talk nothing after IPL. No one has messaged me yet. I don’t know why I am out of the team,” Mishra added.

Mishra further stated the age-old notion of a regular player automatically replacing his replacement upon regaining fitness by citing the example of wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha yet remaining clueless in his own case.

“I still question myself why this happened with me. No one has been able to give me a satisfactory answer. It was a rule in the team that if someone was forced out with an injury, he would come back to the team. Wriddhiman Saha made a comeback after a one and a half year injury layoff. I don’t know why this did not happen with me,” Mishra concluded.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Dixit Bhargav

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Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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