Prasidh Krishna proved to be very expensive in the Test, conceding runs at a poor economy of 5.14 and failing to take wickets, making his exclusion from the team likely.
IND vs ENG: In the ongoing Test series between India and England, while bowlers like Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep have strengthened Team India with their performances, Prasidh Krishna is continuously facing criticism for his form and line-length. His performance in the second Test was so disappointing that he has now been included in the list of the most expensive bowlers in Test history. Very few players have had to endure such a disgrace in the 148-year history of Test cricket, but Prasidh Krishna is now coming onto the field with figures that are a cause for concern for any bowler.
Siraj-Akash duo shines, Krishna fails
In the second Test played at Edgbaston, Birmingham, when the Indian bowling lineup had to face a tough test against the English batsmen, Mohammed Siraj and the emerging Akash Deep bowled brilliantly and played a key role in restricting the English innings to 407 runs. While Siraj took 6 wickets, Akash Deep achieved 4 successes. In stark contrast, Prasidh Krishna's performance was very disappointing. He conceded runs at an economy rate of 5.50 in 13 overs without taking any wickets. Jamie Smith smashed 23 runs in one of his overs, which is enough to shatter the confidence of any fast bowler.
Name registered in shameful record
Prasidh Krishna has now become the bowler with the worst economy rate in Test history. Among those bowlers who have bowled at least 500 balls in Test cricket, Krishna's economy rate is the highest.
So far, in 8 innings of 5 Tests, he has conceded a total of 529 runs at an economy of 5.14. This figure shows that he has not only failed to take wickets but is also conceding a lot of runs. This record not only raises questions about his bowling ability but also forces the team management to think whether it would be the right decision to keep him in the playing eleven.
Conceded a lot of runs in the first Test as well
Earlier, Prasidh Krishna's performance in the first Test played in Leeds was also not special. In the first innings of England, he conceded 128 runs in 20 overs and took 3 wickets. In the second innings also, he gave away 92 runs in 15 overs. Although he got wickets in the first innings, the lack of control over the run rate was clearly visible. In Test cricket, where every single run needs to be stopped, Krishna is continuously giving batsmen an open opportunity to score runs.
Bumrah's return in the third Test, Krishna's exit confirmed?
Now that the third Test is to be played at Lord's, it is expected that captain Rohit Sharma will call back Jasprit Bumrah to further strengthen the Indian pace bowling attack. In the presence of Bumrah, the bowling unit will look b with the pair of Akash Deep and Siraj. In such a situation, Prasidh Krishna may have to sit on the bench. Considering his poor form and flop performance in two consecutive Test matches, the team management would not want to take the risk of giving him another chance to play.
What is the way forward?
This is a time for introspection for Prasidh Krishna. To succeed in Test cricket, only speed or one or two good spells are not enough, but consistency and accuracy are necessary for a long period. He will have to bring variety to his bowling, especially by working more on line and length. In between, he has performed better in limited overs for India, but Test cricket is a different challenge. Here, planning, mind games, and mental toughness are also needed to deceive the batsmen.
