Asia Cup 2023: "He Still Needs Some Time With The White-Ball" - Harbhajan Singh Expresses Surprise At Prasidh Krishna's Inclusion

Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh admitted that he was surprised by the inclusion of fast bowler Prasidh Krishna in India’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup. Harbhajan Singh pointed out that Prasidh Krishna might not be the best pick for the white-ball formats.

Prasidh Krishna returned to the Indian team during the ongoing T20I series against Ireland. The right-arm pacer picked up four wickets in the two matches, with an average of 15.25. As a result, he earned a place in the Rohit Sharma-led team for the upcoming tournament.

Prasidh Krishna Is A Terrific Bowler – Harbhajan Singh

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan Singh highlighted that Prasidh Krishna is better suited for red-ball cricket, describing him as a terrific bowler.

“I am surprised with the selection of Prasidh Krishna, he is a terrific bowler, but I feel that he is more suited to red-ball and will do well for India there. I think he still needs some time with the white-ball, but he has got the pace and bounce,” Harbhajan said.

The selectors picked five pacers in the 17-member squad, including Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Krishna. However, they would retain only four pacers for the upcoming ODI World Cup at home.

Jasprit Bumrah Has Been Looking Fit Is A Great Sign – Harbhajan Singh

The cricketer-turned-commentator emphasized that Jasprit Bumrah bowling at his full pace during the Ireland series is a positive sign for Team India.

“Bumrah has been looking fit in the Ireland series, which is a great sign for Team India. Having Bumrah in the team will be massive, not just in the Asia Cup, but also for the World Cup,” he added.

Bumrah picked up four wickets with an extraordinary average of 9.75 and an equally impressive economy rate of 4.88. The visitors secured victory in the three-match T20I series with a 2-0 lead before the final game.

Still, Believe In Their Ability – Harbhajan Singh

The 43-year-old expressed confidence in the Men in Blue team’s ability to win the upcoming edition of the Asia Cup, which is seen as preparation for the World Cup 2023.

“India recently lost in West Indies, and that was quite a young team. People then started questioning and doubting things after the result. These are very good players, I still believe in their ability and will now perform very well at the Asia Cup,” he concluded.

The Indian cricket team will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening game of the six-team tournament at the Pallekele International Stadium in Sri Lanka on September 2.

Also read: IND Vs IRE: Aakash Chopra Praises Prasidh Krishna After His 2-Wicket Haul In 2nd T20I Match, Says ‘He Is One Of My Favorite Bowlers’