Amit Mishra talks about rumors that MS Dhoni has hampered his career

Former Indian leg-spinner Amit Mishra has firmly rejected long-standing rumors that indicate this MS Dhoni hampered his international career. In a candid interview, Mishra highlighted Dhoni’s crucial role in his breakthroughs and comebacks, crediting the former captain for his consistent support amid stiff competition from spinners like Ravichandran Ashwin And Ravindra Jadeja. The veteran, who featured in 22 Tests, 36 ODIs and 10 T20Is between 2008 and 2017, emphasized that his team entries were under Dhoni’s leadership.

Amit Mishra clarifies misconceptions related to MS Dhoni

Mishra directly addressed the narrative that his career could have flourished more without Dhoni, calling it short-sighted. “People say if it wasn’t for Dhoni, my career would have been better. But who knows, if it wasn’t for him, I might not even have been on the teamhe stated during a MensXP interview, underscoring his frequent returns to the side under Dhoni’s tenure. He portrayed Dhoni as a supporting figure who valued his skills, making comebacks possible despite the depth in the Indian spin department during that golden era.

This perspective reframes Mishra’s intermittent playing time as a product of team balance rather than favoritism. Dhoni’s confidence assured Mishra’s chances even as preference shifted to left-arm options in white-ball cricket. Mishra’s comments, which surface amid the ongoing cricketing nostalgia, humanize the pressure faced by fringe players in a star-studded lineup.

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Dhoni’s crucial guidance for Mishra in his last ODI spell

Mishra vividly recalled Dhoni’s on-field mentorship during his last ODI series against New Zealand in October 2016, a decisive fifth match in Visakhapatnam. India posted 269, and with New Zealand in pursuit, Mishra initially focused on containment, bowling defensively after coming on in the ninth over. Dhoni intervened after two overs and urged him to return to natural aggression: “You don’t bowl what you naturally bowl. Don’t think too much and bowl what you always do.”“​

This advice led to Mishra’s career-best ODI haul of 5/18, dismantling New Zealand for 79 in 23.1 overs, sealing a 190-run victory and a 3-2 series victory. “It was a spell that changed the game… He thought if I didn’t pick wickets, we would lose.Reflecting on it, Mishra praised Dhoni’s tactical clarity. After the match, Dhoni praised the effort and noted that Mishra’s 15 wickets in the series earned him the Player of the Series award.

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