Uttar Pradesh pacer Amit Mishra’s first thought in death overs is to figure out how to stem the run flow. But in the last game of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Super League, the 24-year-old found himself with a bat in hand and a mammoth task of scoring 31 runs from 14 balls to win against Delhi.
When Mishra came in to bat, Uttar Pradesh were precariously poised with seven batsmen already in the hut, and needing one of their lower-order batsmen to use the long handle effectively. He along with Eklavya Dwivedi scored 19 runs from the penultimate over to not only ease the pressure but take them to a comfortable victory.
Mishra slammed Subodh Bhati mercilessly over the ropes as he partnered with Dwivedi to help UP maintain their winning streak and book a berth in the final of the 2015-16 edition of the tournament.
Speaking about his onslaught which comprised clean hits and well timed shots, Mishra revealed that he was a batsman when he first began to play the game. “I started as a batsman, was an opener before I became a regular bowler. In this situation my target was to score ten runs in an over and I was going by my target,” he said.
“I do have the confidence in my batting and then the thought was also to take the team as close as to the target as possible. I wanted to see how far I can take it and I tried. (Suresh) Raina bhai had told me to be there and take it to the last over and that was my effort,” he explained while reflecting on the situation.
“Eklyavya Dwivedi (who was batting at the other end) told me to hit what I get in my area and stay there and support him. He told me, there isn’t anyone left behind (to bat after us); if we bat the full quota of overs then we will chase it down.
The lower-order batsman collected 19 runs of nine balls. “I bat lower down the order, so the situation is such that I have to hit hard (on most occasions like today),” he said.
Speaking about his transformation from a batsman to a bowler, Mishra said, “At the U-15 level I was a batsman and a part-time bowler. At the Under-19 level I started playing more as a bowler. There were ups and downs in batting and then at the U-19 level bowling took precedence. My sir, (coach) Shashikant Khandekar and Indrapal ji told me you bowl well and encouraged me to concentrate on bowling also.
“Raina bhai and all others in the team also supported me and told me to keep bowling. Rizwan (Shamshad) bhai who is our coach, was my coach at the Under 19 level also. He told me to keep bowling, so I kept at it and slowly gained confidence. Then when I got a chance to play in the Ranji Trophy I took wickets, and then I felt I can bowl well,” said the pacer who took a seven-wicket haul against Rajasthan in his second Ranji Trophy match, in the 2013-14 season.
“I would watch what PK (Praveen Kumar) bhai and Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) and try to apply that in the match. Watching them you feel, if they can do then why not me? Watching them boosts me, and makes me want to do better,” Mishra said.
“I try to learn how PK reads and sets up batsmen and try to work on that accordingly,” he added. In the must win game against Delhi, the pacer set up the in-form Unmukt Chand who had held the innings together. “I was bowling with a plan. I knew where to bowl to him and where not,” he explained.
Discussing his bowling, Mishra said, “I want to maintain a good pace, but I also concentrate on swinging the ball because it makes it more difficult for the batsman. Then when I feel that the line is what I want it to be, I try to generate pace.
“In the initial overs when the ball is new I concentrate on swinging the ball and bowling at the right line and length and in the death overs I try to contain the batsmen and bowling yorkers,” said the pacer.
Speaking about his preparations and training, Mishra said, I practice at the Kamla club under Shahsikant Khandekar ji. I also keep talking to Raina bhai whenever I can and work accordingly. His advice is to work hard and focus on getting better and improving. He tells me to work on applying what I do in the nets in the match.”
Besides having a strong support system in his state team, Mishra has gained from his stint with the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League. The guidance of Shane Watson has helped Mishra. “Shane Watson would talk to me especially about bowling in the death overs. He would always tell me to bowl good Yorkers and make me bowl them in the nets. I feel good that my yorkers are now put to use; I bowl well in the death overs,” Mishra elaborated.
