The T20I against England in 2017 turned out to be his final game for India, but Mishra feels that if it were not for an injury he sustained in that match, he might have gone on to play more for the national team. Former India leg-spinner Amit Mishra’s international career ended on a sour note. Crucially, Mishra claimed that he was given explicit comeback assurances by both the then head coach Anil Kumble and captain Virat Kohli . However, when he regained full fitness, the latter did not even respond to his calls and messages.
Former India spinner Amit Mishra claimed that he was assured of a return to the national team by coach Anil Kumble and captain Virat Kohli in 2017 after he sustained an injury. But, the promises were never fulfilled.
So I told Anil Bhai, I said, ‘Anil Bhai…’. He said, ‘Don’t worry. I also asked Virat Kohli, I said, ‘Brother, what needs to be done? He said, ‘You don’t worry. So he said, ‘I will let you know in a week to ten days. I messaged him, but there was no reply,” Mishra said, accusing Kohli of failing to keep his promise.
Mishra made the revelation during an episode of the podcast Baith & Bol with former India cricketer Aakash Chopra . He claimed that the assurances from both Kumble and Kohli fell flat, with the England match in Bengaluru turning out to be his final game for India in international cricket. “I got my leg injured during that time in Bangalore. And when I was leaving after getting injured, Anil Kumble was the coach. As soon as you get fit, you automatically… you will come back,'” Mishra claimed during the podcast. “Then, Virat Kohli became the captain after this. Get fully fit and comfortable, and you are there [in the team],'” he added. Once Mishra had recovered, he messaged Kohli to ask about the situation regarding his return to the national team. The veteran leg-spinner claimed that Kohli promised to get back to him within seven to ten days but never responded. “So, I went to him. I asked, ‘Brother, what’s the situation? Then brother, one week passed, two weeks passed, three weeks passed, there was absolutely no update from him. I called him… so, he did not pick up the call. Mishra also pointed out that other players, who had been out of action with injuries for far longer periods, were accommodated back into the squad immediately upon regaining fitness. However, that protocol was not followed in his case.
