Despite being rated very highly by the ones who matter in Indian cricket, Prasidh Krishna‘s return in Test matches has been rather disappointing, to say the least. The right-arm pacer Prasidh Krishna , who is in the middle of his fifth Test match, is currently nudging an unwanted record for the worst economy rate by a frontline bowler.
Prasidh Krishna’s current economy rate is well above 5. While Prasidh Krishna has not even bowled 1000 balls in Test match cricket or played at least 10 Test matches to qualify for the record books, the signs are alarming.In the ongoing second Test between India and England, Prasidh Krishna leaked runs at 5.50 runs per over with no wickets to show for.
Prasidh Krishna gave away 72 runs in his 13 overs. At one point, he had figures of five over 50 for none. His short-ball tactic fell flat against England’s Jamie Smith and Harry Brook. In one over in the first session of Day 3, Prasidh Krishna was hit for 23 runs by Smith, who got stuck into him.
In the previous Test, Prasidh Krishna picked up five wickets but was the only bowler to concede more than six an over in both innings. He went for 128 runs in his 20 overs in the first innings for three wickets and in the second, he gave away 92 runs in 15 overs for two wickets.
Prasidh Krishna is bang-average. He is not Test-class. The sooner it dawns on the national selectors and the Indian team management, the better. The fast bowler made his Test debut in December 2023, against South Africa at Centurion. On a green pitch, Prasidh Krishna gave away 93 runs in 20 overs for a wicket. His bowling profligacy, along with Shardul Thakur’s, was a reason why the hosts got to 408 in their first innings and inflicted an innings defeat on India.
In the second Test in Cape Town, on an even greener surface, where Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj had shared 15 wickets between them, Prasidh Krishna returned with an economy rate of 6.75 in South Africa’s second innings. India, though, won the Test and levelled the series.Earlier this year, against Australia in Sydney, he once again leaked runs for fun, as the hosts chased 162 for victory on the spiciest pitch of the series. The three wickets he took eventually proved to be inconsequential, for he never put the opposition under pressure.
Once again, Prasidh Krishna was the weak link in India’s bowling in the ongoing Test against England in Leeds. The hosts finished Day 2 on 209/3, and all three wickets (3/48) went to Bumrah. Between Prasidh Krishna and Siraj, 106 runs were conceded in 24 overs without a wicket. Prasidh’s figures read: 10-0-56-0.
Prasidh Krishna eventually picked up 3 wickets but for that leaked 128 runs at the economy of 6.40 the worst one in the history for Indian bowlers. In the first innings, Prasidh Krishna gave away 128 runs in 20 overs at an economy of 6.40, which are the worst figures by an Indian bowler, which is the most expensive spell by an Indian, who bowled a minimum of 20 overs in an innings. However, he got the wickets of Ollie Pope, Harry Brook, and Jamie Smith.
I would like to go with Arshdeep Singh-Â Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar urged the Indian team management to give Arshdeep Singh his red-ball debut in the fifth Test against England at The Oval in London, starting on Thursday, July 31, ahead of Prasidh Krishna.
Prasidh Krishna played the first couple of Test matches in the five-match series against England, but failed to make an impact. He bagged six wickets at an average of 55.17 and an economy rate of 5.34. On the other hand, Arshdeep has been with the side since the start of the tour, but hasn’t been able to get his maiden Test cap. He was reportedly in line to play the fourth Test, but an injury to his hand ruled him out.
Manjrekar said that India should invest in Arshdeep, who is three years younger than Krishna, and can be a long-term option for the bowling lineup.
“When it comes to the close call between Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep, I’d like to go with Arshdeep. We’ve seen enough of Prasidh Krishna… Invest in somebody who might give you long-term returns, and that’s where I’d like to go with Arshdeep,” Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo..
While Manjrekar refused to be too critical of the under-fire Anshul Kamboj, who debuted in the fourth Test, the cricketer-turned-expert said that he might have to wait for a while before he gets another game in India colours.
“Anshul Kamboj, it’s a little too harsh, but only, you know, I don’t see him playing the [his] second Test only because of how he looked rather than his returns,” he added.
The fifth and final Test match between England and India will be played at the Kennington Oval, London, from 31st July onwards and India with the new debutant Arshdeep Singh could spring in the surprize with his left arm swing to some what new look English batting line up.
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