New Delhi: For a senior player it’s important to walk the talk which is precisely what Amit Mishra wants to do so that the juniors can follow his example.
Mishra, who bagged 18 wickets in the recently-concluded five-match ODI series against New Zealand is happy that he can share his knowledge in international cricket with newcomers like Jayant Yadav and Axar Patel.
“As a senior bowler, I had the opportunity to talk to the youngsters in the side and share my knowledge. You can only make them understand, when you raise your game. If you lift your performance, they will get inspired and follow what you say,” Mishra told ‘bcci.tv’ during an interaction.
Mishra, who did not make it to the playing XI during the three-Test series, said that he was always aiming to get wickets rather than play a restrictive role.
“In this series, I was always looking to take wickets. Yes, I did bowl according to the situation, but my objective was to go for wickets. If you look to contain, you are going to get hit in the ODI format. In limited-overs, the only way to contain is to get wickets,” stated the leg-spinner.
“I tried to vary my pace as much as possible and that helped,” he added.
Mishra termed the ODI series win against New Zealand as a crucial one as there were a lot of youngsters in the squad.
“The series win turns important simply because the youngsters were playing a game with the scores tied at two-all. In this context, it was very important for the seniors to lead from the front. So that, the morale of the youngsters in the side would remain high,” pointed out Mishra. “The juniors did come up with a sterling performance, more so because it was the decider. To get the Kiwis out in 24 overs was not a matter of joke. It just proves the talent that we have in your squad.
“Now, when they play for India again, they will know what needs to be done and how they can get better. This win has sent a positive message to the youngsters,” added the senior pro.
Mishra also stated that being with a person as experienced as Anil Kumble has really helped him. “His inputs are fantastic, and since he has been a leg-spinner himself, he knows how the psyche of a similar type of bowler works,” pointed out Mishra.
Press Trust of India
