On a slow and lifeless Warner Park pitch, leg-spinner Amit Mishra bowled his heart out and picked four wickets as India's two-day warm-up tie against West Indies Cricket Board President's XI ended in a draw.
WICB Board President's XI scored 281 for seven after India declared at its overnight score of 258 for six. Of the seven wickets, Mishra grabbed four and was evidently happy with his performance.
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"I am happy with my performance as bowling on this track was very difficult. To get my bowling rhythm back on a slow batting track is a good sign," he told bcci.tv .
Having legendary leg spinner Anil Kumble as India's head coach surely seems to be working in favour of Mishra. "There are many things that he tells me like my bowling technique, landing and finishing. Looking at the wicket, he tells me what are the areas where I can bowl and the kind of fields that I can set on a slow wicket."
Asked if he changed his bowling strategy for this particular game, the spinner said: "I was trying to vary my speed and was looking to ‘confuse’ the batsmen. I didn’t want them to know at what speed I was bowling. I was also mixing up my deliveries; bowling straighter ones in between and turning the rest."
He was confident that coach Kumble's experience in the Caribbean will help the team in formulating strategies as the tour progresses. "His experience is going to matter a lot. He has played here and he keeps telling us about the conditions."
For his part, Mishra said he will keep working harder. "I bowl about two hours daily in the nets and also bowl with one stump for another half hour so that I do not lose my accuracy. It requires a lot of effort and I never shy away from working hard.
"There are times when as a bowler you do not get the desired rhythm and in those times your leg spin (stock ball) must land perfectly. I bowl a lot in the nets and that is the reason why I have been able to be more accurate."
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