Lucknow Super Giants added 10 players to their squad during the IPL 2023 auction held in Kochi on Friday. While they splurged Rs 16 crore on West Indies wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran, they picked the remaining nine at their base prices.
Among them was veteran spinner Amit Mishra who last played for a franchise during IPL 2021 when he was with Delhi Capitals. The 40-year-old now plays just T20 cricket and was picked by LSG for Rs 50 lakh.
Also Read: ‘I’m Very Surprised that We Got Somebody Like Kane Williamson at Base Price’
So why have LSG, who made the playoffs in their debut IPL season earlier this year, picked Mishra?
A domestic coach, who has closely worked with LSG mentor Gautam Gambhir, was quoted by news agency PTI as saying that Mishra could have been bought to utilise the Impact Player rule.
Mishra, despite missing IPL 2021, continues to be among the all-time highest wicket-takers in the league’s history. He has 166 wickets from 154 matches and is fourth in the list of the top wicket-takers in IPL.
“Amit Mishra is a fantastic call by Gautam and his coaching staff. Look, you don’t need to check his skills as he is among the top three wicket-takers of all time in IPL. Yes, he is 40 years, isn’t the best of fielders and can’t hit sixes at the end. But now you don’t need to keep him in playing XI for entire duration,” the coach said.
“If we understand Gautam one bit, Mishra will be used as an Impact Player in some games. All you need to do is to keep him in field for eight overs when it is necessary. Four overs of his bowling and four overs from the other end and get him done by 14th over if Lucknow bowl first,” he added.
Also Read: Hardik Pandya May Lead India in Sri Lanka T20Is, KL Rahul Facing The Axe
As per the Impact rule, which will be implemented for the first time in IPL 2023, a team will be allowed to name a squad of 15 players ahead of a match. One of the four players from this squad, who isn’t part of the playing XI, can later be allowed as a substitute any time during an innings by the 14th over.
“If they (LSG) are bowling second, he (Mishra) can be brought in accordingly so that team’s fielding plans are not hampered. That’s how you can make optimum use of Amit. He can still perform better than many youngsters around and some of the big budget overseas players in-front of 50,000 people can come cropper against him. All you need is to hide him in the field for four overs. That is possible,” the coach said.
Get the latest Cricket News, Schedule and Cricket Live Scores here
Comments
0 comment