Perhaps Amit Mishra is
not India’s Jason Gillespie – there are fair chances that he might get to play
another test.
Legspinner Amit Mishra has been recalled to India's Test squad
for the tour of Sri Lanka in August.
Amit, 32, last played a Test in 2011 and he took leg spinner Karn
Sharma's place in the team that had travelled to Bangladesh in June. It was the
only change to India's 15-man squad.
Mishra has not played a Test since the 2011 tour of England, where he
played two matches and took three wickets at an average of 106.66. In the
2014-15 Ranji Trophy season, Mishra played six matches for Haryana and took 10
wickets at an average of 20.40.
"Amit Mishra has always been part of our thinking," India's
chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil said in Delhi.
Opener KL Rahul had missed the Test in Bangladesh because of
dengue fever and his replacement Shikhar Dhawan made a hundred in that game,
leaving India with three openers - M Vijay being the third - to choose from in
Sri Lanka. The selectors have not picked a reserve wicketkeeper in the squad as
back up for Wriddhiman Saha. "We have a standby wicketkeeper we have
nominated," Patil said.
Amit Mishra has a fine action.
He has played 13 Tests taking 43 wickets at an economy of 3.19; average
of 43.30 and SR of 81.3; besides he has 45 One day wickets in 27 matches and 11
T20 wickets too. In Apr 2013, he became
the first bowler in IPL to get 3 hat-tricks after helping Sunrisers Hyderabd
clinch a win against PUne Warriors. In
the 19th over, Pune were comfortably placed with 14 runs to get with 4 wickets
in hand. Mishra picked up a hattrick
enabling a win.
His last Test was in Aug 2011 at Kennington Oval, London Test no.
2004 when Indians were defeated by an innings and 8 runs. He had a good 144 run
partnership with Sachin, whose missing a century was much talked about. In that test Bell (235) and Pietersen (175)
amassed runs to pile a total of 591/6 decl.
Mishra had forgettable figures of 38-3-170-0. In the 1st Innings, Indians were bowled out
for 300 – Rahul Dravid opening and carrying his bat through for 146.
Following on, India lost Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and VVS
Laxman at 118 and Amit was sent as a night watchman to join Tendulkar. After battling for long, and when it appeared
a draw was the most likely result – Amit got out at 262 making 84; Sachin too
followed at the same score having made 91 and India folded for 283.
He made his Test debut at Mohali in Test no. 1889 against
Australians in Oct 2008. Sourav Ganguly’s century and Sachin’s 88 took India to
469. Ponting led Aussies were bowled out
for 268. Debutant Mishra had figures of
26.4-8-71-5 which remains his best bowling performance in a Test.
His entry in to ODI was in Apr 2003 when India beat South Africa
by 153 runs at Dhaka in TVS Cup. In Oct 2002, he was picked up in
the National team to play visiting West Indies when Cricinfo wrote - If the Indian team picked this afternoon
lined up in a row - Usual Suspects style - Amit Mishra would be the Kevin
Spacey character, the complete misfit. In a gallery of stars, he is the
anonymous man - but one who might conceivably be an inspired selection. There
are two very distinct schools of thought when it comes to his inclusion in the
14. The first suggests that he is a
pick for the future - having taken wickets against Zimbabwe in a tour game a
few months ago - and that being in the same squad as Anil Kumble, the country's
premier legspinner, will help him to further hone his craft. The second view is
more interesting, if you're the sort that enjoys conspiracy theories. Cast your
mind back 14 summers to the Chennai Test match against West Indies and a
virtual unknown named Narendra Hirwani decimating what was then easily the most
formidable team in the world - Viv Richards growling, "One swallow doesn't
a summer make" afterwards (with great prescience as it turned out, when
you consider Hirwani's plummeting career graph). There is a feeling that the
selectors might intend for Mishra to be a similar lightning flash, especially
against a team packed with left-handers and missing Brian Lara. There are
certainly similarities in the way he bowls. Mishra is neat and organised, a tad
conservative in his approach and not one to experiment drastically with length
and flight.
Now if you are to connect : Jason
Gillespie, Mark Boucher, Tony Mann, Syed Kirmani, Nasim ul Ghani….they are all batsmen
who came in as nightwatchmen and scored a century. Mark Boucher did it
twice. Tony Mann did against Bedi’s Indians at Perth in
1977. Alex Tudor (England) was close to making a century as a
nightwatchman; he made 99 not out against New Zealand in 1999 at Edgbaston, and
was stranded one run short of a maiden test century when the target of 208 runs
for victory was achieved.
Remember that way back in 1978, Kapil
Dev was sent out as a night watchman – hit a towering six and when he got back
at the close of play, the captain Bishan Bedi chided him for doing what he did
– scoring runs – hitting a six !!! ~ so theoretically, nightwatchman is
expected to defensively bat it out and not try to score runs – ruling out any
risks !!! (no risks and nothing associated with Insurance !!!!)
Jason Neil Gillespie played for
Ahmedabad Rockets in ICL… played with distinction for Australia in 71 tests and
97 One dayers taking 259 test wickets and 142 ODI wickets… he made 1218 runs
including an unbeaten 201 against Bangladesh, which unfortunately was the last
Test he ever played. In Test No. 1799 at Chittagong stadium
in April 2006 –Australia won by an innings and 80 runs. Jason
Gillespie walked in as a nightwatchman at 120/2 – scored unbeaten at 201,
taking the total to 581/4.... he thus has the unique distinction of the first (and only one thus far)
nightwatchman to score a double-century. Bangladesh made
197 and 304. His figures of 3/11 & 0/14 with that double ton won him
the Man of the match as also the Player of the Series….after that series he
went in to oblivion and never played for Australia again is the irony
!!!
With regards – S. Sampathkumar.
23rd July 2015
No comments:
Post a Comment