Prasidh Krishna Credits Both Karnataka And KKR For His Maiden ODI Call-Up To The Indian Team

Karnataka and Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Prasidh Krishna’s consistent performances in domestic cricket were finally rewarded as he earned his maiden call-up to the Indian ODI team for the upcoming three-match series against England.

Krishna has been one of the spearheads behind Karnataka’s successes in white-ball cricket in the domestic arena in the past few years. The right-arm pacer was one of the main driving forces behind Karnataka clinching the Vijay-Hazare title in 2017-18 and in 2019-20. He claimed as many as 17 wickets in both of those titular triumphs.

Even in the recently-concluded Vijay-Hazare Trophy, Prasidh Krishna was among the top-five wicket-takers with 14 scalps that helped Karnataka reach the semi-final where they were beaten by eventual champions Mumbai.

Following his call-up to the national team, Prasidh Krishna has credited Karnataka for giving him the recognition and his IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders for giving him an opportunity to test himself against the best in the world amid high pressure.

“It has been a combination of both IPL and domestic cricket performances. At the domestic level Karnataka have been doing really well over the last few years. As a team, once you start winning tournaments and playing big games, many of your players start to get recognised. I think I am blessed being part of the Karnataka side,” Prasidh Krishna told IANS.

“Even at Kolkata Knight Riders, in terms of the platform they have given me and the exposure I have had, with so many other stars around — nothing can beat that. When you play the IPL, the first things is that you have to perform in pressure situations against international stars and in front of around 60,000 people. Second thing is that you rub shoulders with the greats of the game. There is so much more to learn from them — the way they handle themselves — you try and stay composed no matter what the situation is. Your work ethic and so many other things improve,” added Krishna.

 

‘It is good to have competition around you’- Prasidh Krishna

Captain Virat Kohli has heaped praise on Prasidh Krishna in the past due to his ability to bowl with searing pace and extract bounce from the surface. In January 2020, Kohli had said that Krishna’s addition to the bowling-unit could be a game-changer for the team in the T20 World Cup in Australia, which eventually did not happen due to Covid.

“I think one guy will be a surprise package going to Australia (for 2020 T20 World Cup which didn’t happen due to Covid-19). Someone who can bowl with pace and has bounce. Prasidh has done well in the domestic arena. It is a great luxury to have this group of bowlers in all formats. Looking at the World Cup, we have enough options,” Virat Kohli had said in early 2020.

Kohli’s words, as Prasidh Krishna revealed was a huge shot in the arm for the youngster.

“Kohli saying this gave me a lot of confidence. For me, someone like the captain of the Indian cricket team talking about you or mentioning your name means that you work a little more harder and you might get called up and it has happened. I think it did boost my confidence — the way I trained and my motivation level,” he said.

With a lot of competition for places in the Indian team, Prasidh will find it difficult to break in the Indian team. But, the fast bowler, who has gone through the same during his early days in the Karnataka set-up, isn’t bothered.

“Not really (on asked if there is pressure to perform). It has been the same for me in Karnataka which was a star-studded bowling line-up. It took me some time to break into the line-up. I think it (competition) just pushes me. It made me what I am today. It is good to have competition around you. I think you grow through competition,” he said of the time he had to sit out as R Vinay Kumar, S Aravind and Abhimanyu Mithun remained the first-choice bowlers for Karnataka in Ranji Trophy,” said Prasidh Krishna.

When asked what prompted him to take up fast bowling, Krishna alluded to the sheer joy of watching the stumps fly as the reason behind him becoming a pacer

“The sheer joy of watching the stumps flying and knowing batsmen get scared of the fast bowlers — bouncers and all of that. That is what pulled me towards fast bowling.” he said.

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