Press Trust of India
New Delhi, Dec 1: Spinner Amit Mishra lamented Tuesday that the pitch conditions were being highlighted instead of the performances of the Indian tweakers in the on-going series against South Africa enough.
“Frankly enough, this whole issue is a bit hurting. We spinners have bowled well, used the home conditions well. But that is not being talked about… only the state of the pitches are being discussed,” stated the spinner who so far has picked up seven wickets in the two Tests that he has played. “Our conditions have been like this for the last 50 years. It’s nothing new,” he added.
Mishra stated that it is South Africa’s technique, rather the lack of it, against spinning deliveries that did them in.
“Like we will get bounce outside sub-continent, it is a given fact that there will be more turn on offer when teams come to India. It is all about adaptability. They need to do their homework and improve their batting techniques on pitches that offer turn. I believe they (South Africa) are under a lot of pressure because we have not given them a lot of boundary balls,” reasoned Mishra.
In spite of getting only seven scalps compared to Ravi Ashwin’s 24 and Ravindra Jadeja’s 16, Mishra is happy with his show. “Most of my seven wickets are top batsmen. I have got AB (de Villiers), Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis. All of them are very good players of spin,” he pointed out.
However Mishra is happy that he has skipper Virat Kohli’s backing even in testing times. “He (Kohli)is very positive and always gives good tips about how to get a particular player out. The best part about his captaincy is that he supports you irrespective of how you bowl. He supports me in the manner I want him to support,” Mishra was effusive in his praise. “After all the skipper’s confidence goes a long way in helping a leg-spinner.”
