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Delhi: Enjoying his second stint with Delhi Daredevils like never before, leg-spinner Amit Mishra on Saturday said that the new-look side has emerged far more improved in this edition of the Indian Premier League.
The Jean-Paul Duminy-led side lost its opener to Chennai Super Kings by just one run at Chepauk and Mishra, who returns to the side after the initial three years (2008,09,10) of IPL, believes that the team looked great even in that loss.
“I believe Delhi has become a better team. We are gelling well as a unit. The players are interacting with each other and enjoying each other’s presence. There has just been a single game and we have played well. We bowled well, batted well, losing by a single run is no loss.
“But it was just the first match, it takes a little while to understand things and get into the groove. It’s not easy to get going from the very first game. We have got a good bunch of players, who have the potential to do well in future,” said Mishra on the eve of the Daredevils’ first home game against Rajasthan Royals at the Feroz Shah Kotla, here tomorrow.
“Playing so well against Chennai Super Kings on their turf is no mean task. We bowled and batted well, unlucky that we did not get the result in our favour. And now we are playing at home, so definitely our confidence levels are high.
We have practiced hard but you can’t do much in T20 cricket.
We will do our best. We have got a good combination, it is just a matter of clicking,” he added.
Being the only bowler in IPL to bag three hat-tricks, Mishra is just happy to be bowling with another leg-spinner in team’s South African import, Imran Tahir. The duo bagged a wicket each against CSK and also maintained a decent economy-rate in their respective spells.
“We compliment each other’s bowling. We take a lot of positives from each other. We share a good rapport, there is no rivalry between us as leg-spinners, rather we support each other as players. Our single-minded aim is to perform well and take the team towards win. Personally I believe a leg-spinner has more variety than a left-arm spinner but both have their respective strengths,” said the 32-year-old player.
The margin of loss was just one run but it was only Albie Morkel who single-handedly drove Delhi to such a position with his unbeaten 55-ball 73. When Mishra was reminded of the batting failure, the leg-spinner defended the team.
“That’s the nature of T20 cricket, only one or two batsmen or bowlers click. Albie Morkel fired, but we lost quite a few wickets under pressure and that should not have happened,” he said.
Pace ace Zaheer Khan’s entry into the XI is much awaited, especially after reports of his lack of fitness emerged in the media, but Mishra, who last represented India in an ODI in 2014, was all praise for his former India senior.
“Zaheer bhai has always been there to support me. He always talks to me if he sees something worth discussing. I can openly discuss with him anything and he is ready to share his experiences with me or anybody for that matter.
“That’s his nature, he loves helping out youngsters. And we will also see him on the field very soon and perform for Delhi. He is a wicket-taking bowler and gives his inputs on picking up a wicket,” he said.
In a batsman dominated sport, life of a bowler is turning tough by the day but Mishra enjoys the challenge between the ball and the bat.
“Bowling is tough in any form of cricket. You have to put pressure and take wickets. So bowling is never easy. And that’s the challenge of it. It feels nice when to rise from those difficulties and deliver. Of course with the four-fielder rule bowling in ODIs is tougher as it’s advantage batsmen,” he signed off.
