IND vs SA: Sunil Gavaskar Snubs Prasidh Krishna And Shardul Thakur To Pick This Player As The Third Pacer In The First Test

Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar is unsure if Prasidh Krishna can handle the tough and challenging conditions of Test cricket heading into the two-match series between India and South Africa. The Freedom series will commence on December 26 (Boxing Day) and the first Test will be played at the Supersport Park in Centurion.

The Indian Team management will have to choose a third specialist seamer between Prasidh Krishna and Mukesh Kumar since Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the series due to an injury.

The Indian Team could also go with Shardul Thakur as the third seamer as he has a good record in South Africa which includes a seven-wicket haul in 2021-22 in Johannesburg. Shardul Thakur could also come in handy with the bat as he has a good record in Test cricket in terms of batting. However, Sunil Gavaskar makes his point clear regarding Prasidh Krishna in the XI.

Sunil Gavaskar was asked about his preferred pick as India’s third seamer in the first Test during an interaction. The Indian legend was slightly skeptical about Prasidh Krishna’s fitness for Test cricket, elaborating, “I am not sure about Prasidh Krishna. He has come back from an injury. If he is required to bowl 15-20 overs in the day, I am not sure if he will be able to do that. I hope he proves me wrong because if anybody proves me wrong, that means India are doing well and if India are doing well, I am very happy.”

Sunil Gavaskar expects Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah to share the new ball for India in the opening spells. He said, “I believe Bumrah and Siraj pick themselves because of the way they have bowled over the last year and a half with the white ball and the red ball. So my opening bowlers would be them.”

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj have a contrasting performance record when it comes to red-ball cricket in the Rainbow Nation. Bumrah has 26 wickets to his name in six Tests that he has played in South Africa with a stunning average of 24.38 whereas Siraj has only three wickets to his name in two Test matches that he played in the last tour averaging 51.00.

Sunil Gavaskar Picks Mukesh Kumar As His Third Pacer

Sunil Gavaskar picks Mukesh Kumar as his third pacer to play ahead of Prasidh Krishna. He reasoned, “Then depending on what you want you want and what kind of a surface you are looking at, my third pick would be Mukesh Kumar because he moves the ball and bowls good lines and lengths.”

The cricketer-turned-commentator feels the vast experience that the Bengal seamer has in first-class cricket should hold him in good stead. He observed, “He has got the experience of bowling long spells because he has played a lot of Ranji Trophy cricket. If you to bowl the entire day, you have to be ready to bowl at least 18 to 20 overs.”

Mukesh Kumar picked up two wickets in the only Test he played against the West Indies back in July this year. He has a terrific record in first-class cricket with 151 wickets to his name in just 40 matches with an impressive average of 21.62.