Amit Mishra put in a sparkling performance against Delhi Capitals in which he picked up 4/24 as he neared Lasith Malinga’s tally of most wickets in the IPL.
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When one looks at the list of top IPL wicket-takers, six spinners dominate the top 10. There are the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal, Harbhajan Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin and Piyush Chawla in the list. But, this bowler tops them all. He has three hat-tricks in the IPL. He also has a five-wicket haul and is third on the list for the most four-wicket hauls. Yet, he is not spoken about as one of the bests. This legspinner has dismissed Rohit Sharma seven times, yet his name is just a footnote.
In a team that has Ashwin and Axar Patel, Mishra might not even be the first choice. Ever since 2008, when Amit Mishra burst onto the scene with a five-wicket haul on debut in Mohali against Australia, he has been an unsung hero. Lack of opportunities, losing form at vital times and the emergence of other bowlers pushed Mishra to the sidelines. But, in IPL 2021, especially against five-time champions Mumbai Indians, he showed his guile and keen eye.
The dismissal of Rohit is a classic one from the old-school of spin. There was flight, dip and loop. In an interview to the official website, Mishra revealed what had gained him success against Rohit often. “I always try to bowl away from his zone and deny him pace. I try to beat him in flight, make him play a shot to me that is not his strength,” Mishra said.
In the game so far, Rohit played pace brilliantly. His 95-meter six of Kagiso Radaba was a sign that Rohit was in the zone today. His ability to play pace is unparalleled. But, with spin, he can be slightly susceptible. Despite the fact that he took on spinners on raging turners against England in the Tests, spin can be an occasional kryptonite for the Hitman.
Mishra did exactly what he had said. The flight and loop wide outside off lured Rohit. But, the dip saw him drag the ball to long on without timing. That saw his end. Lucky seven for Mishra indeed.
Mishra repeated the dose to Hardik Pandya, who mistimed the flighted ball to long on. It was the loop that accounted for Rohit. The same happened with Hardik Pandya.
It is common knowledge that Kieron Pollard does not use his feet much while playing spin. He is either on the backfoot or is rooted to the crease. If the spinner misses the length, he gets carted down the ground or deep midwicket. But, in Chepauk, Mishra totally outfoxed Pollard.
The legspinner bowled the googly, but it was quick. The pace was right enough to skid off the track. Pollard, playing according to his traditional style, was trapped plumb in front. His success story was complete when he yorked Ishan Kishan with a quicker delivery. His analysis of 4/24 completed his take of redemption.
In the past, Mishra was often too slow through the air and he was carted for sixes. His lack of accuracy meant that he could be worked out. But, in the game against Mumbai Indians, Mishra showed that he was working on variations in pace. His guile and pace variations, if it comes together, can make him potent. Mishra is on the cusp of overhauling Lasith Malinga’s tally of 170 wickets. He is only seven away. With such performances, it will only be a matter of time before he becomes IPL’s leading wicket-taker. That itself might make this unsung hero a legend.
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