New Delhi, Sept. 4 -- Seasoned leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who bid adieu to a 25-year odyssey in professional cricket on Thursday, revealed that he struggled with depression after being sidelined for five years following his debut and wished he had made his comeback earlier.

Mishra burst into the international scene in 2003, when he made his ODI debut against South Africa at Dhaka during the TVS Cup. It was a modest outing for him, bowling a five-over spell, scything the solitary wicket of Neil McKenzie and returning with figures of 1/29.

Since introducing himself to the world, Mishra went missing in action for roughly half a decade. With the rise of Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble being at the peak of their prowess, the room was too cramp...