Prasidh Krishna to make red-ball comeback after injury and play Duleep Trophy 2024-25. Will Krishna be able to claim his spot in India's Test team?
India pacer Prasidh Krishna is one of the shining young fast bowlers of the country. He stormed out into the international limelight last year by becoming the first India bowler to claim a 4-wicket haul on his ODI debut. Moreover, he also made his debut in Test and T20I cricket in 2023.
But as the pacers have a norm for being at high injury risk, Krishna suffered the same earlier this year. He suffered a tendon injury for which he underwent surgery on his “left proximal quadriceps tendon” and has been in recovery for the last six months. However, the good news for the fans is that he will finally be playing in the Duleep Trophy, commencing on September 5.
With him being out of the team equation for half a year now, how does his comeback into the test line-up look?
Krishna’s international numbers
Before the injury, Krishna was in great form and debuted against South Africa in their home. In the two international tests he played, he took two wickets in three innings with an economy rate of 4.64.
Krishna has played 15 First Class matches and has bowled in 27 innings. In those, he has taken 58 wickets with an average of 19.41 and an economy of 2.97, which is commendable. Despite having a stunning FC record, now Krishna’s competition isn’t just him. Gautam Gambhir’s team India is looking for a lethal pace bowling partnership that can win them the ICC World Test Championship.
This is one of the biggest reasons why Krishna will be eager to grab the opportunity with both hands and make a stellar comeback in the Duleep Trophy. His performance in this competition can certainly impact his future in red-ball cricket.
It will be interesting to see what changes the break has brought to his game. Has the pace decreased? Or any other change for that matter. This next month will be crucial for the India pacer.
Krishna needs to compete for his spot
Jasprit Bumrah has been the leader of Team India’s bowling setup. But who will stand beside him? There are several options that India have tried recently, such as Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Mukesh Kumar, Akashdeep, and T Natarajan, to name a few. But no one has been able to deliver the consistency a team need.
Not to forget, Mohammed Shami has been a lethal asset for India besides Bumrah. But his continuous injuries have often come in his way. That is why, when it comes to pace, a team surely needs bench strength for smooth replacements.
And that will be the challenge to overcome for Gautam Gambhir and Morne Morkel. Moreover, they have to do it as soon as possible, with high-intensity matches coming along the way. The important task would be the management of these players to minimise injury and maximise results.
The Morkel effect
With Morkel’s addition as the bowling coach of India, Krishna has a tremendous opportunity to grow. Morkel and Krishna have a lot in common, whether it be height, bowling action, or their natural lengths. Krishna can indeed bring his career to a peak in the upcoming months.
However, keeping the stats and records in observation, Shami and Siraj are the two next-best bowlers for India after Bumrah in test matches. However, they are not enough if Team India aim to lift the test mace. To strengthen the bowling line-up, Prasidh Krishna can be an important piece of the puzzle. But a lot depends on his performance in the upcoming Duleep Trophy.
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