Picture Credit: X
On Thursday, September 4, Indian wrist spinner Amit Mishra put down curtains on his professional cricketing career. The 42-year-old, who last featured in the Indian colours in a T20I match against England in Bengaluru in 2017, announced retirement from all forms of cricket, bringing an end to his over two decade-long career.
Taking to X, the former India international wrote, “Today, after 25 years, I announce my retirement from cricket — a game that has been my first love, my teacher, and my greatest source of joy.” “From the struggles and sacrifices in the early days to the unforgettable moments on the field, every chapter has been an experience that has shaped me as a cricketer and as a person,” he further added in his elaborated message.
Amit Mishra brings back selection bias controversy after retiring from professional cricket
The 42-year-old later was interviewed by a renowned media house - PTI, where he revealed the reason behind calling it quits. The wrist spinner brought back the bias selection debate as he mentioned it as one of the reasons behind his retirement. "It was a very disappointing thing. Sometimes you're in the team, sometimes you're out. Sometimes you get a chance in the playing eleven, sometimes you don't. Of course, it's frustrating, and I was frustrated many times, no doubt,” Mishra told PTI.
The former cricketer also added that there are some players who are captain’s favourite and ought to get a nod ahead of others. “Some players are captain's favourites. But that doesn't matter much. You just have to prove yourself whenever you get a chance," Mishra added.
Watch video of Amit Mishra’s sly dig at BCCI:
Notably, the Delhi born retires after playing 22 Tests, 36 ODIs and ten T20Is for India, where he finished with 156 wickets overall. While his international chapter remains aside, he holds the record of most hat-tricks in the IPL, having achieved the feat thrice, in 2008, 2011 and 2013. Additionally, he ends his IPL career as the eighth highest wicket-taker with 174 scalps in 162 matches.
