Spinner Amit Mishra who announced his retirement on Thursday reflected on his career as an Indian player, saying that the uncertainty around getting a place in the team sometimes got pretty frustrating.
“It was a very disappointing thing. Sometimes you’re in the team, sometimes you’re out. Sometimes you get a chance in the playing eleven, sometimes you don’t. Of course, it’s frustrating, and I was frustrated many times, no doubt,” Mishra told PTI Videos in an exclusive interview.
“But then you remember that your dream is to play cricket for India. You are with the national team, and millions of people are working so hard just to be there. You are one of the 15 players on the Indian team. So, I tried to stay positive,” he added.
Mishra who last played an international match in India colours in 2017, said that being in and out of the team was mentally tough.
“Whenever I was frustrated, I thought about what I could improve on. Whether it was my fitness, batting, or bowling, I always focused on getting better. Whenever I got a chance to play for the Indian team, I performed well, and I’m very happy about that. I never shied away from hard work,” he said.
Having last played for India in 2017, the 42-year-old Haryana cricketer continued to feature in the IPL till the 2024 edition. Mishra represented India in 22 Tests, 36 ODIs and 10 T20s.
He was a classical leg-break bowler who made his Test debut against Australia in 2008, five years after he made his India debut in an ODI against South Africa in 2003.
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With Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble starting most of the games at home, Mishra had to wait for his Test cap.
It was a successful debut for him as he took a five-wicket haul in the first innings before picking a couple of more in the second essay. It ultimately became his only five-wicket haul in the traditional format.
(With agency inputs)
