Amit Mishra was always known as a genuine leg-spinner who could also contribute with the bat. In his 68-match international career for India across formats, he scored four half-centuries. All of them were in Tests. One of his most memorable knocks came during India’s 2011 tour of England.
Mishra played only two Tests in that series, but in the fourth and final match at The Oval, he produced a brilliant knock. Batting in the second innings, he scored 84 and shared a valuable 144-run partnership with Sachin Tendulkar for the fourth wicket. Tendulkar eventually fell for 91, while Mishra’s gritty knock ended at 84. At that point in time, Tendulkar was one away from his 100th international hundred. Despite their efforts, India lost by an innings and eight runs.
In an exclusive chat with RevSportz, the former leg-spinner recalled that innings and revealed how conversations with Tendulkar gave him the confidence to play such a crucial knock.
“I went in as a nightwatchman, and we had already lost matches, by then, where I didn’t do much with the ball myself. So I wanted to contribute somewhere at least. I’m lucky to have played with Sachin Paaji (Tendulkar),” recalls Mishra.
“First day went by and I was not out, and second day, I went to Sachin Paaji and asked him how I was doing. He replied, saying: ‘Just play your normal game, normal shots, don’t think too much about what match it is or who is bowling to you, whether or not the ball is swinging, or else you will feel anxious. Just play it like you are playing domestic,’” Mishra said.
He explained how Tendulkar’s advice kept him focused through that innings.
“I followed his words and once the game started, he himself told me that he could see the confidence in me. It was before lunch or maybe after that he again suggested something to me, and that was to take singles and doubles and not play shots against the spinners. The partnership started building and his guidance in between helped me the most,” Mishra added.
Even in the first innings in that Test, Mishra had scored a crucial 43, the second-highest score, behind Rahul Dravid’s 146.
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