Calcutta/Basseterre: Amit Mishra had the opportunity to play just one Test alongside Anil Kumble.

Now that the former India captain and leg-spinner is back as India's head coach, Mishra is banking on Kumble's experience for success in the ongoing West Indies tour.

Mishra has already shown he could be one of India's main bowlers, having taken four wickets in the two-day warm-up tie versus the West Indies Board President's XI.

"Yes, Anil's experience is going to help. I have played only one Test but more one-day cricket in the Caribbean. Anil is with us and his experience is going to matter a lot.

"He has played here and he keeps telling us about the conditions. We will utilise his experience and form a strategy together," Mishra told bcci.tv.

Elaborating on what he has learnt so far from Kumble since the latter became head coach, Mishra said: "There are many things that he talks to me about, like my bowling technique, landing and finishing.

"Looking at the wicket, he tells me about the areas where I can bowl and the kind of fields that I can set on a slow wicket."

Mishra also spoke about his rapport with India's Test captain Virat Kohli. "Virat is a positive person and he has created a similar positive environment within the team.

"He always supports me. There are no boundaries. Whenever I want to share something with him, I am free to express my opinion.

"He tells me, 'you're a wicket taking bowler and that is what you must do. You stay positive and stick to your strengths'."

His focus is on maintaining accuracy and ensuring he doesn't lose his rhythm. "I bowl about two hours daily at nets and also bowl with one stump for another half-hour so that I do not lose my accuracy, which is crucial.

"It requires a lot of effort and I never shy away from working hard. I make sure that when I am not able to land the ball in the right spots, my leg-spin works perfectly.

"There are times when as a bowler you do not get the desired rhythm and in those times, your leg-spin must land perfectly. I bowl a lot at nets and that is the reason why I have been able to be more accurate," Mishra explained.

India's bowlers, meanwhile, were denied by a Shai Hope century as his unbeaten 118 helped the President's XI to 281 for seven, in reply to India's 258 for six declared.

"It gives you a lot of confidence getting a hundred against a decent side like India. Their bowlers, their batsmen are all world class, so you have to take something from it," Hope said.

"Whenever you come to the crease, it's about applying yourself no matter what time of the day it is. The wicket was primarily on the slow side, so it was about applying yourself.

"It was difficult to score quickly, but as long as you batted and were able to wear down the bowlers, things became a lot easier in the evening."

 

Brief scores: India 258/6 decl. WI Board President's XI 281/7 (S. Hope 118 n.o.; A. Mishra 4/67). Match drawn.