Best thing about Abhishek is there's improvement from him in every game, says Mishra

New Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS) As India gears up for a high-voltage Asia Cup final against Pakistan, former leg-spinner Amit Mishra has lavished praise on young opener Abhishek Sharma’s stupendous form in the competition, adding that his consistent improvement in every match has been a standout aspect for him.

With 309 runs in six matches coming at an average of 51.5 and strike-rate of 204.63, Abhishek is the leading run-scorer in Asia Cup and has scored fifties in all three of India’s Super Four victories in the eight-team competition.

“His form is a very good thing. The best thing is that there is an improvement from him in every match. In the last match (when India faced Pakistan in Super Fours) he went up to 70 (74). I want that any set batter in T20s should play for a long time in a match and go on to finish it for the team.”

“It’s because if a new batter comes in a T20 game, and then one or two wickets fall, then that’s a lot of pressure. So I want this improvement from him to increase and try to play as long as possible. The best thing is that when I saw him earlier, he didn't hit such big shots.”

“This improvement has come in him and you will see that he doesn't play any extra shots. He plays cricketing shots and has the ability to play them and he’s doing that. I felt good to see that he is playing on his ability, performing well and taking his team to a good level,” said Mishra in an exclusive conversation with IANS.

Apart from Abhishek, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been a key factor in India’s bowling success. Kuldeep has picked 13 wickets in six games and is leading the wicket-taking charts in the competition with an economy rate of 6.04.

“I felt good on seeing his performances, but in between he got lost in the middle. He started bowling fast and I feel that speed has to be used as a variation. A wrist spinner is a wicket taking bowler and when he came earlier, he had a wicket taking attitude and you have to keep that (intact).”

“Small changes are very important in fielding and bowling as per evolving standards in T20s. But just keep in mind that whatever changes you make, do it according to your bowling and not as per other people's thoughts. It's a good thing that he is taking wickets aplenty and this is the most important thing.”

“His effort should be in such a way that it reflects on him being a bowler who can be a game changer in every match. So whenever he picks wickets, I feel it will always be of benefit for the team,” added Mishra.

In a format where spin partnerships can be as lethal as batting ones, Mishra also praised the synergy between Kuldeep, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakaravarthy. “This is what happens in a team. Just like there is a partnership in batting, there is a partnership in bowling too. Every bowler will not take 3-4 wickets.”

“Some bowlers put pressure on you and someone else takes the wicket. It has happened many times with me as well. Like when I used to play cricket, the times I didn't get wickets, so I used to try to create pressure so that the other bowler can take a chance and get a wicket.”

“So this partnership of the spin troika is going well – Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav are playing well together. They have put and maintained a lot of pressure on the opposition teams. The best thing is that even if one gets hit for runs, the other bowlers would bowl to keep a lot of pressure. Because of this, the chances of getting a wicket are always high,” he observed.

With India getting success through its youngsters following their 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup triumph, Mishra believes an Asia Cup win in Dubai would instill belief in them ahead of future series against heavyweights like Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand in the run-up to their title defence at home next year.

“Confidence always matters. The best thing is that there are no senior players in this team. It's a very positive thing that Abhishek and many other youngsters are in the team. So, when we win here and go to a bigger tournament, there is always confidence in the back of your minds’.”

“Like, we have batted and performed well to win matches and then go on to be the Asia Cup winners and become the number one team in Asia - these things matter a lot. Thus, it becomes very important for the youngsters to win the Asia Cup, as confidence and performances derived from here will take them to a different level,” he concluded.

--IANS

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