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In a recent reflection on his playing days, veteran leg-spinner Amit Mishra addressed the long-standing rumors regarding his professional relationship with MS Dhoni. For years, fans and analysts have speculated that Mishra may have lacked the full support of the legendary captain, pointing to instances where Dhoni favored the versatile spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for high-stakes matches. This narrative often suggested that Mishra’s career trajectory was limited by the tactical preferences of the leadership.
Amit Mishra responds to ‘Dhoni impacted his career’ claims with big revelation
Responding to claims that his career might have flourished more under a different captain, Mishra spoke candidly about the nuances of his international journey. He noted that it was actually under Dhoni’s captaincy that he initially broke into the national team, highlighting the inherent difficulty of maintaining a spot in such a talent-heavy roster. Rather than harboring resentment, he acknowledged the immense competition for spin slots during that era.
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I came into the team under him only: Amit Mishra on MSD
Mishra ultimately shifted the focus toward the support and clarity he received from Dhoni throughout their time together. Despite the inevitable fluctuations in his playing time, the spinner emphasized that he maintained a positive outlook and valued the guidance provided by his former skipper. His remarks serve to clear the air, framing his career "ups and downs" as a result of team dynamics rather than a lack of backing from his captain.
"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. I came into the team under him only. And I kept making a comeback. He would have agreed as a captain and that is why I kept coming back. So there is a positive way to look at things," Mishra said on MensXP.
Despite facing frequent interruptions and a lack of consistent selection, Amit Mishra remained a high-impact performer whenever he donned the national colors. His red-ball prowess was evident in his 22 Test appearances, where he accounted for 76 wickets, proving his ability to deceive the world's best batters with his classical leg-spin. His limited-overs record was equally impressive; in just 36 ODIs, he claimed 64 wickets at a remarkable average, a tally bolstered by a career-defining six-wicket haul. Even in the shortest format, his 16 wickets across 10 T20Is demonstrated his reliability whenever the team required a breakthrough.
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It was never like Dhoni did not come to me and give me tips'
Mishra spoke warmly of the tactical mentorship he received from MS Dhoni, recalling how the captain was always ready with technical tips and strategic advice when they shared the field. He specifically pointed to his final ODI series against New Zealand as a prime example of this partnership. During that series, Dhoni’s seasoned insights and calm demeanor helped Mishra navigate high-pressure situations, allowing the spinner to execute his plans effectively during the most critical moments of the match.
"I did have the support. Whenever I was in the 11, it was never like Dhoni did not come to me and give me tips or tell me things. He would always tell me things. I was playing against New Zealand, which was my last one-day series. Dhoni was the captain. It was a tight game. I came to bowl, and we had scored 260-270 runs. I thought of stopping the flow of runs and not going for wickets," he added.
"After a couple of overs, Dhoni came to me and told I am not bowling what I naturally bowl. 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. His thinking was that if I did not pick wickets, we would lose the game. This is how he supported me," Mishra concluded.
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