Veteran leg-spinner Amit Mishra retires from professional cricket

Indian veteran leg-spinner Amit Mishra has announced his retirement from professional cricket, bringing the curtains down on a remarkable career spanning over 25 years. Mishra represented India in 22 Tests, 36 ODIs, and 10 T20Is, accounting for 156 wickets for the Indian team across formats. At his peak, Mishra was a weapon for the Men in Blue, tricking the batters with sharp spin and deceptive flights.

Announcing his decision, Mishra admitted that recurring injuries and the desire to give the next generation of cricketers ample opportunities at the highest level influenced his call to retire.

“These 25 years of my life in cricket have been nothing short of memorable. I am deeply grateful to the BCCI, the administration, Haryana cricket association, the support staff, my colleagues, and to my family members who were with me all this while,” said Mishra in a statement.

“I would like to thank the fans whose love and support whenever and wherever I played made the journey memorable. Cricket has given me countless memories and invaluable learnings, and each moment on the ground has been a memory I'll treasure for life,” he added.

The leg-spinner made his international debut in 2003 during an ODI tri-series in Bangladesh and had to wait until 2008 to earn his Test cap against Australia in Mohali, where he made an immediate impact with a five-wicket haul on debut. In 2013, Mishra equalled the legendary Javagal Srinath's world record for the most wickets in a bilateral ODI series, claiming 18 wickets in five matches against Zimbabwe.

He was also part of the 2014 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, where he picked up 10 wickets at an average of 14.70 and an economy rate of 6.68, playing a key role in India’s run to the final, despite the side finishing second. Mishra last represented India in 2017, but continued to feature in domestic cricket and the IPL. His final competitive appearance came for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2024.

In the IPL, Mishra leaves behind a storied career to hang his boots as the seventh-highest wicket-taker so far, with 174 wickets in 162 matches at an average of 23.82 and an economy of 7.37. Notably, he is the only bowler in IPL history to claim three hat-tricks, all of which came for different franchises — Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals), Deccan Chargers, and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

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Looking ahead, Mishra expressed his desire to remain closely connected to the sport through coaching, commentary, and mentoring young cricketers, while also engaging with fans regularly via social media and YouTube.