Former India spinner Amit Mishra recently spoke about his relationship with legendary captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni during his playing days. Over the years, there had been speculation and rumours suggesting that Mishra did not always have Dhoni’s full backing, with the captain often opting for other spin options such as Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in key situations.
Mishra opened up about his time under Dhoni, responding to the speculation that his career might have been better without the legendary skipper at the helm. Speaking candidly, Mishra reflected on how he broke into the team under Dhoni’s leadership and the challenges of staying relevant in a competitive squad. He highlighted the support and understanding he received from the captain, emphasising the positive perspective he adopted throughout his career, despite the ups and downs.
"People say if Dhoni was not there my career would have been better. But who knows if he was not there maybe I would not even have been in the team. I came into the came under him only. And I kept making a comeback. He would have agreed as a captain and that is why I kept coming back. So there is a positive way to look at things," Mishra said on MensXP.
Mishra’s international career had its share of interruptions, largely due to a lack of consistent opportunities. Still, he made a strong impact whenever selected. Across 22 Tests, he picked up 76 wickets, highlighting his effectiveness in red-ball cricket. In 36 ODIs, he claimed 64 wickets at a healthy average, including a memorable six-wicket haul. He also turned out in 10 T20Is, taking 16 wickets and delivering whenever called upon.
‘Never like MS Dhoni did not come to me’
Mishra praised Dhoni's guidance during his playing days, recalling how the captain offered tips and advice whenever he was in the XI. Reflecting on his last ODI series against New Zealand, he further highlighted how Dhoni’s insights helped him handle crucial moments in tight matches.
"I did have the support. Whenever I was in the 11, it was never like Dhoni did not come to me and give me tips or tell me things. He would always tell me things. I was playing against New Zealand, which was my last one-day series. Dhoni was the captain. It was a tight game. I came to bowl, and we had scored 260-270 runs. I thought of stopping the flow of runs and not going for wickets," he said.
"After a couple of overs, Dhoni came to me and told I am not bowling what I naturally bowl. He told me not to think a lot and bowl what I always do. I did that and then got a wicket. He told me this is your bowling, bowl exactly this, don't think a lot. It was a game-changing spell. I picked up five wickets, and I think that was also my best spell. His thinking was that if I did not pick wickets, we would lose the game. This is how he supported me," he added.