Amit Mishra's nightmarish IPL 2014

In the first six editions of the IPL, Amit Mishra had taken 95 wickets at an average of 20.25 and an economy rate of 6.93, numbers which were good enough to pronounce him among the best bowlers in the tournament. Only Lasith Malinga had taken more wickets, and among spinners only a handful had a better economy rate. Mishra had also gone for 86 sixes, second only to Piyush Chawla's 91, but it couldn't be held against him in a format where it was inevitable for a legspinner to go for a few of those. Given that he was only five wickets short of 100, it was widely expected that he would reach landmark before he'd get hit for a century of sixes.

As it's turned out, though, IPL 2014 has so far been a bit of a nightmare for Mishra. In just 19.3 overs, he has disappeared for 16 sixes, which is as many as he conceded in 62 overs last year. Against Kings XI, Mishra was hammered for seven sixes in his four overs - five by Glenn Maxwell and one each by Virender Sehwag and David Miller - which is the most sixes hit against any bowler in a single IPL match. [Mishra shares that record with Pune Warriors' Mitchell Marsh, who also went for seven sixes in a game, against Royal Challengers Bangalore during that Chris Gayle onslaught.]

A week later against Mumbai Indians, Mishra vanished for five sixes, all the hands of Keiron Pollard. The third of those was the 100th six that had been hit off his bowling in the IPL, making him the first to that not-so-flattering landmark - Chawla is still on 95. As if to celebrate that milestone, Pollard hit the next two balls for sixes as well, in an over which cost Mishra 27. Those series of sixes have meant Mishra has been hit for a six once every 7.31 balls in IPL 2014; last year a six off him was three times more scarce - once in 23 balls.

In the meantime, Mishra's wickets tally has inched ahead by just four, which means he is still one short of the 100-wicket mark, though he's still the second-highest wicket-taker in the IPL. The last time this tournament was held outside India, he had done much better, taking 14 wickets at an economy rate of 7.00 in 2009, and conceding a six every 19.46 balls.

Can he raise his game, now that the tournament has moved back to India?

Worst economy rates for spinners in IPL 2014 (Qual: 10 overs)

Bowler	Overs	Wickets	Average	Econ rate	4s/ 6s
Amit Mishra	19.3	4	50.25	10.30	6/ 16
Pragyan Ojha	19.0	1	167.0	8.78	10/ 8
Shahbaz Nadeem	20.4	5	32.60	7.88	8/ 7
Piyush Chawla	15.3	5	23.80	7.67	10/ 4
Ravindra Jadeja	18.4	10	14.30	7.66	11/ 5
Karn Sharma	18.0	2	68.00	7.55	12/ 5

Amit Mishra in each IPL season

Season	Overs	Wickets	Average	Econ rate	4/ 6s	Balls per 6
2008	20.0	11	12.54	6.90	4/ 8	15.00
2009	42.0	14	21.00	7.00	13/ 13	19.46
2010	53.0	17	21.35	6.84	26/ 16	19.87
2011	53.2	19	18.84	6.71	26/ 14	22.86
2012	47.0	13	29.00	8.02	18/ 19	14.84
2013	62.0	21	18.76	6.35	21/ 16	23.25
2014	19.3	4	50.25	10.30	6/ 16	7.31