Former India spinner Amit Mishra opens up on the depression that followed his 2008 drop

Background

Amit Mishra, a right‑arm leg‑spinner who debuted for India in 2003, found himself out of the national side and even omitted from several domestic tournaments. The lack of selection left him questioning his performance and triggered a prolonged mental‑health struggle.

Personal account

In an interview with former batsman Aakash Chopra, Mishra described the emotional toll:

“I went into depression for a year and a half. I kept thinking about what my mistake was. I was playing everywhere, but the only question in my mind was, ‘what did I do wrong?’”

He added that a selector later told him his domestic form was lacking, prompting a shift in focus:

“Then a selector told me that I was not performing. I sat down and thought, and I understood that I was thinking of playing for India itself but not performing in domestic cricket.”

Turning point

Mishra returned to the domestic circuit, worked on his skills, and his improved performances earned a recall to the Indian team in 2008 – almost five years after his debut. He subsequently played 22 Tests, 36 ODIs and 10 T20Is, taking a total of 156 wickets across formats.

Practical implications

• Mental‑health awareness: Mishra’s story highlights the need for psychological support for players facing selection setbacks.
• Performance focus: Selectors emphasized that consistent domestic results are essential for national recall.
• Verification: The details above are drawn from a Times of India interview published on 13 November 2024. Readers can verify the account by visiting the original article at the URL provided.

What remains unknown

• The specific dates and venues of the domestic matches that marked Mishra’s comeback have not been disclosed.
• No official statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on the mental‑health support offered to players was mentioned in the source.

--- *The article is based on publicly available statements and does not contain any unpublished data.*