‘People say MS Dhoni hurt my career’: Ex-India cricketer’s honest take goes viral – Watch | Cricket News
Ex-India cricketer Amit Mishra has chosen reflection over resentment while revisiting the long-standing discussion around his relationship with Mahendra Singh Dhoni. “People say if Dhoni was not there my career would have been better,” Mishra said. “But who knows if he was not there maybe I would not even have been in the team.” For Mishra, the beginning of his India journey itself is tied closely to Dhoni. “I came into the team under him only,” he said. “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.” The idea that Dhoni consistently preferred other spin options never left him feeling ignored. “I did have the support,” Mishra said. “Whenever I was in the XI, it was never like Dhoni did not come to me and give me tips or tell me things. He would always tell me things.” One memory, in particular, still stands out from his playing days. “I was playing against New Zealand, which was my last one-day series. Dhoni was the captain,” Mishra recalled. “It was a tight game. We had scored 260–270 runs. I came to bowl and I thought of stopping the flow of runs and not going for wickets.” That approach, however, did not sit well with his captain. “After a couple of overs, Dhoni came to me and told me I am not bowling what I naturally bowl,” Mishra said. “He told me not to think a lot and bowl what I always do.” The advice was brief but decisive. “He told me, this is your bowling. Bowl exactly this. Don’t think a lot,” Mishra said. The impact was immediate. “I did that and then got a wicket,” he said. “It was a game-changing spell. I picked up five wickets, and I think that was also my best spell.” For Mishra, Dhoni’s clarity came from a simple understanding of the game situation. “His thinking was that if I did not pick wickets, we would lose the game,” Mishra said. “This is how he supported me.” That backing helped Mishra make the most of his opportunities whenever they came. Across 22 Tests, he took 76 wickets. In 36 ODIs, he claimed 64 wickets, including a memorable six-wicket haul. In 10 T20Is, he added 16 more wickets, often stepping up despite irregular selection. Looking back now, Mishra sees no reason for regret. “If Dhoni was not there, maybe I would not even have been in the team,” he said. “That’s the positive way to look at things.”
