IND vs AFG: "Prasidh Krishna Needs To Think" - Sunil Gavakar

Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar advised Prasidh Krishna to have discussions with senior players and coaches to secure a place in the Test team. Sunil Gavaskar highlighted that Prasidh Krishna was the weak link in India’s bowling during a recent series in South Africa.

Prasidh Krishna made his Test debut in the first Test match, where India suffered an innings and 32-run defeat in Centurion. The right-arm pacer had a challenging start to his career, securing just one wicket in his debut Test match and conceding 93 runs in his 20 overs.

The 27-year-old secured only one wicket in India’s seven-wicket victory against South Africa in Cape Town. He ended with just two wickets at an average of 65.00 and an economy rate of 4.64. It’s worth noting that the two matches were played on seamer-friendly tracks.

Prasidh Krishna Was The Weak Link In India’s Bowling – Sunil Gavaskar

During a discussion on Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar suggested that Prasidh Krishna must address weaknesses in his game to cement his place in the Test format. Gavaskar emphasized that Krishna should assess his abilities beyond just pace.

“Prasidh Krishna was the weak link in India’s bowling. We sometimes get carried away with speeds of 140-145 kph but we need to see if he has that ability or not. He does not have that much experience. He might improve after playing more matches,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.

“Prasidh Krishna needs to think about his bowling. He needs to sit with the bowling coach. He should sit with Jasprit Bumrah, who is the leader of the pack, and talk to him. Yes, this series is over but if he has to play for India going forward, he will have to do lots of consultations with senior people,” he added.

Prasidh Krishna Was Bowling at 5-10 Kph Less – Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar emphasized that Prasidh Krishna bowled at a slower pace than expected during the Test series. Gavaskar pointed out that Krishna’s bouncers lacked force, and he consistently delivered the ball in lengths preferred by the batters.

“I felt Prasidh Krishna was probably nervous in the first Test and here it seemed his bouncer too did not have any force. I feel he was bowling at 5-10 kph less than what we have seen in the IPL. He was bowling the length the batters wanted. He was bowling in the slot from where Markram hit him for sixes,” Gavaskar further added.

“Then he tried to bowl a little short. If you have pace and want to bowl short, the ball should come above the batter’s shoulders. If the ball comes close to the chest and Markram is tall, he is more than six feet, so he hit sixes easily,” he concluded.

Krishna went wicketless in South Africa’s first innings, giving away 10 runs in four overs. Aiden Markram smashed 20 runs in Krishna’s first over in the second innings. The tall pacer conceded 27 runs in his four overs and took lower-order batter Kagiso Rabada’s wicket.

Also read: IND vs SA: “First-Match Nervousness” – Irfan Pathan On Reason Behind Prasidh Krishna’s Failure In 1st Test