All-time game-changers XI in the history of the IPL

8) Amit Mishra

There is a saying that sometimes the game can be unfair. It doesn’t reward a player for all his hard work. And it is exactly what has happened to the Indian cricketer, Amit Mishra. The leg-spinner who once was touted as the successor of Anil Kumble never reached the desired heights. He remained a back-up option for most of his international career.

However, it didn’t stop him from pursuing his cricketing dreams. Mishra continued his grind in the domestic circuit. And at the moment, he is India’s highest wicket-taker in the T20s with 253 scalps to his name. His economy rate of 7.18 is also quite impressive.

A lot of Mishra’s T20 success can be attributed to the IPL. The leggie is the most successful spinner of the league in terms of wickets. He has accounted for 157 wickets in 12 seasons. More importantly, he has taken 3 hat-tricks, an IPL record.

From the stats, it is clear that Amit has been under-rated for several years. On some days, he might bowl expensive spells, but he will often make it up by bowling match-winning ones. He is a bowler who always looks for wickets, and that’s been the hallmark of his entire career. Even now, he never shies away from bowling attacking lines, a thing to learn for the current crop of spinners.