JOIN USHaving gone wicketless in a hard-fought opening session, the Indians showed good character in picking up the remaining seven wickets a little after tea to give themselves a chance of forcing a win. While it seemed improbable at lunch, leg-spinner Amit Mishra was delighted to see the team’s faith in discipline and patience pay off so well.
“We were not frustrated at all,” said Mishra, who took 4/43 and thus went past 50 Test wickets.
“Our plan was that even if we didn’t get wickets, we shouldn’t concede too many runs. We wanted to bowl one line and create constant pressure. We knew that if we got one or two, we could run through them and that’s what happened.
“As soon as we got one or two, the pressure was on them. That was our planning and no doubt Angelo (Mathews) batted well to make a hundred but after that, we came back well. All our bowlers bowled well, maintained pressure on them all the time.”
The highlight of Mishra’s performance was the wicket of left-handed Jehan Mubarak. The ball pitched and drifted past a prodding Mubarak, who could only watch in dismay as it went on to hit his stumps.
“Satisfaction is when you plan and the batsman gets out. I always believe my wicket-taking ball is the flighted leg-spin. Even today, I got two wickets with that. No doubt there is always room for improvement,” he said.
While suggesting anything over 350 as a good score to defend on the track that is increasingly playing slow, Mishra said the performances at Galle and here will give a huge boost to his career considering he is making a return to the national team after a four-year hiatus.
“Really important for me because playing after four years. I was playing Ranji Trophy and waiting for my chance. I didn’t want a situation where I get it and I am not ready. This is very important for me and for the team — new phase, new boys. It’s important that we do well. If we can win, that will be more special that my wickets helped the team win the match,” he concluded.