Veteran Indian spinner Amit Mishra, in his recent podcast, revealed some shocking acts of his co-players and admitted to age fraud. Mishra, who plays for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, is one of the highest wicket-takers in IPL history.
Age fraud has long been an issue in international cricket, with many players accused of manipulating their age to participate in age-group tournaments. Mishra confessed that his coach convinced him to decrease his age by one year.
Additionally, Mishra made startling revelations about former Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli. Having played under both MS Dhoni’s and Kohli’s captaincy, Mishra claimed that Dhoni was always honest with him about his inclusion and exclusion from the team. However, he alleged that Kohli never gave him a clear picture and ignored his messages.
Speaking with Unplugged, Mishra said, “Being a good cricketer is not enough; we need to have a good rapport with the captain as well.” He praised his relationship with Dhoni, stating that Dhoni always told him the truth. When asked why he wasn’t in the team, Dhoni would say, “You don’t fit the combination,” Mishra revealed.
Mishra also recounted his experiences while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore. He claimed to have asked Kohli multiple times about his place in the team. According to Mishra, Kohli would promise to discuss the issue with management but never followed up. In Mishra’s words, Kohli would say, “Mishy bhai, I’ll ask and let you know,” but never got back to him.
He also mentioned an incident where Kohli offered him fitness training, saying, “From today, you will train for fitness with me.” Mishra told Kohli that he couldn’t lift weights like him but could run and do whatever else Kohli wanted. Unfortunately, this led to Mishra getting injured.
Lastly, Mishra hinted that KL Rahul might not lead the Lucknow Super Giants in the upcoming year. He suggested that a person with the right mindset needs to be appointed for the shortest format. KL Rahul has led LSG for three consecutive years in the IPL.
-Sanyogita