Veteran India spinner Amit Mishra called time on his cricket career in all forms at the age of 42 on September 4, 2025. He played 22 Tests, 36 ODIs, and 10 T20Is for India from 2003 to 2017.
Amit Mishra had made his ODI debut in 2003 against Bangladesh, and his Test debut came in 2008. He had to fight for a spot on the Indian team due to the presence of Anil Kumble. And when Kumble and Harbhajan Singh retired, India got talents like R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, leading to Mishra getting chances here and there.
He was one of the most sought-after spinners in the early half of the IPL, as he picked up three hat-tricks in the tournament. He finished with 174 wickets in 162 games in the IPL with a best of 5/17 at an economy of 7.37.
"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.
But then you remember that your dream is to play cricket for India. You are with the national team, and millions of people are working so hard just to be there. You are one of the 15 players on the Indian team. So, I tried to stay positive," Mishra told PTI.
Despite his evident talent, Mishra admitted that being in and out of the Indian team was mentally tough.
"Whenever I was frustrated, I thought about what I could improve on. Whether it was my fitness, batting, or bowling, I always focused on getting better. Whenever I got a chance to play for the Indian team, I performed well, and I'm very happy about that. I never shied away from hard work," he added.
Amit Mishra’s last international match for India was a T20I against England in 2017 in Bengaluru. He picked 1/23 in his four overs, but another young leggie, Yuzvendra Chahal, overshadowed him with 6/25 in the same match.
Mishra credits IPL for his Test comeback because suddenly performances got noticed.
"I'd say the defining moment was the hat trick I took in the 2008 IPL, where I also took five wickets in the match. From there, I made a comeback to the Indian team. Before that, I was consistently performing well in domestic cricket, taking 35-45 wickets every season, but I couldn't get back into the national team.
That IPL hat-trick changed things for me. I had also performed well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali the preceding year, taking 25 wickets, which helped me get an IPL contract (Delhi Daredevils). After that hat-trick, I was back in the Indian team continuously, and my career in T20 also started. So, that hat trick with five wickets in 2008 will be a defining moment of my life," he said.
Mishra put forth his perspective about various captains having their preferred choice of bowlers, and also that there was nothing wrong with it.
"Some players are the captain's favorites. But that doesn't matter much. You just have to prove yourself whenever you get a chance. As I said, these things don't matter. Sometimes a player who performs better than you is liked more, but when you start performing, it all changes,” Mishra said.
Despite the rollercoaster ride, Mishra said he is bidding adieu without regrets.
"I've played cricket for 25 years across three decades with legends like Sachin Tendulkar, under leaders like MS Dhoni, and with current stars like Rohit Sharma. Now that I'm slowly stepping away, it's emotional, of course. Cricket gave me everything—respect, identity, and purpose.
Not everyone gets a grand farewell or big press conference, and that's okay. What matters to me is that I gave everything I had. I played with heart. I performed whenever I got the opportunity. And I've earned the love of fans and the respect of my peers—that's my biggest achievement,” Mishra signed off.
(PTI inputs)
