Can Amit Mishra turn things around?

Can he deliver and cement his spot?

From delivering a stellar display of quality spin bowling against the Aussies in 2008 to living in oblivion for almost four years, Amit Mishra has gone through the grinds to finally emerge out of the shadows of Anil Kumble and the rest. At 32, this talented leggie has been presented with a precious platform to show the world that he belongs to the big stage.

His selection in the Test team that is going to tour Sri Lanka has raised many eyebrows and Mishra will definitely have to justify his selection as a failure in the sub-continental pitches will set the alarm bells ringing. With 5 wickets against Australia A, Mishra seems to be getting into the groove and a good show will help him boost his confidence ahead of the all-important tour.

As Team India is trying to innovate and change under the leadership of a firebrand captain in the form of Virat Kohli, it would be interesting to see how Mishra will fit into the scheme of things. With 10 wickets from 6 matches in the 2014-2015 Ranji season and 27 wickets from 6 matches in the 2013-14 Ranji season, his efforts have indeed been mediocre in the recent past, but he remained confident that his experience will hold him in good stead.

The contenders

With the likes of Karn Sharma, Yuzhvendra Chahal, Pragyan Ojha fast catching up with some good performances, it is important to understand what Amit Mishra brings to the platter. While Karn had scalped 15 wickets from 8 matches for the Railways in the 2013-14 season, Pragyan Ojha who is still trying to come to terms with his new bowling action managed 8 wickets from 4 matches and a 5 wicket haul in the recently concluded India A vs Australia A four-day match in Chennai.

The current spin scenario looks rather bleak and an injury to Karn Sharma made Amit Mishra an automatic replacement. Along with Ravichandran Ashwin and ‘comeback man’ Harbhajan Singh, Mishra’s inclusion will lend a much-needed variety to a rather one-dimensional Indian bowling attack.

The batting friendly Sri Lankan pitches will be extremely challenging, but the Haryana spinner will draw inspiration from the recent exploits of Pakistan leggie Yasir Shah. It will be exciting to see whether Virat Kohli would go with a three-pronged spin attack. The extreme heat and flat pitches might not have a lot to offer to the pacers and the spinners are more likely to call the shots once the pitch deteriorates.

However, when asked whether he would make the cut for the final 11, Amit Mishra said “"I'm in the side, so if I get the opportunity, I'll give my best.I'm not thinking about that. I'm happy I am making a comeback to the Indian side. I will just go there and give my best." 

His classical action and ability to get back on his feet after getting hit will definitely help him to try and pick up a few wickets at important junctures. It is important to see how he will go about things considering the fact that the Sri Lankans have traditionally been good players of spin.

Time to deliver again on the big stage

He has used his natural flight and variations to achieve success in the IPL over the years and would be more than happy if he is able to replicate his performances and repay the faith that the selectors have shown in him. With Ashwin and Bhajji both being off-spinners, Mishra’s leg spin would increase Kohli’s options.

He has been working hard to polish his batting and fielding skills and recently notched up his 1st first class century. With lack of accuracy and inability to extract spin on placid wickets consistently being his major areas of concern, Mishra’s fortunes will dwell directly on how well he utilises his opportunities and judiciously use his flight and variations to fox the batsmen.

While he is always considered to be one of those talented cricketers who were born in the wrong era, this selection is a major lifeline to prove his worth and extend his career for a few more years.

Though India’s bleak spin reserves is a cause of worry in the longer run, the upcoming series will be a litmus test for the experienced duo of Bhajji and Mishra as their respective performances will decide on who will become a vital cog in the team along with Ravichandran Ashwin. Let’s hope the man delivers as India seek to win their first Test series win in Sri Lanka in over two decades.