Amit Mishra Announces Retirement From Cricket After 25-Year Career

Veteran India leg-spinner Amit Mishra announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Thursday, September 4, concluding a career that spanned over two decades. The 42-year-old Haryana cricketer last played for India in 2017 but continued featuring in the Indian Premier League (IPL) until the 2024 edition. Mishra confirmed his retirement to PTI over the telephone.

Amit Mishra Career Highlights

"I have decided to retire," Mishra stated, citing repeated injuries and a belief that the younger generation should now take over.

Mishra represented India in 22 Tests, claiming 76 wickets, and snared 64 scalps from 36 One Day Internationals. He also played 10 T20 Internationals. Mishra, a classical leg-break bowler, made his Test debut against Australia in 2008, five years after his India debut in an ODI against South Africa in 2003.

As Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble generally started most home games, Mishra waited for his Test cap. His debut was successful: he took a five-wicket haul in the first innings before picking up two more wickets in the second, which ultimately became his only five-wicket haul in the traditional format.

Amit Mishra Announces Retirement

In a statement, Mishra reflected, "These 25 years (first-class debut in 2000) of my life in cricket have been nothing short of memorable." He expressed deep gratitude to the BCCI, the administration, the Haryana Cricket Association, the support staff, his colleagues, and his family members who were "together with me all this while."

Mishra further conveyed, "I would like to thank the fans whose love and support whenever and wherever I played made the journey memorable. Cricket has given me countless memories and invaluable learnings, and each moment on the ground has been a memory I'll treasure for life."

His last competitive game was for Lucknow Super Giants in the 2024 IPL season. His international career slowed once Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja emerged. Mishra also expressed a keen desire to stay involved in the game via coaching and commentary.

Amit Mishra Career Stats

Mishra racked up 535 wickets in an exemplary first-class career, alongside 252 wickets in List A cricket and 285 in T20 cricket. In the IPL alone, he took 166 wickets at a stellar average of 23.98 and a very respectable economy rate of 7.36. He represented four IPL teams: Sunrisers Hyderabad, Deccan Chargers, Delhi Capitals, and LSG. He remains the only bowler to claim three hat-tricks in the IPL.

(With PTI Inputs)