Can Prasidh Krishna be a long-term middle-overs enforcer for India?

Before the India-England ODI series, Sanjay Bangar, the former India batting coach and therefore an ex ‘insider’, confirmed Prasidh Krishna had been in the selectors and the management’s radar for long. It wasn’t a shocking revelation but still said something about Krishna, the tall, young express paceman from Karnataka. “Prasidh Krishna has been considered a […]
 
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Can Prasidh Krishna be a long-term middle-overs enforcer for India?

Before the India-England ODI series, Sanjay Bangar, the former India batting coach and therefore an ex ‘insider’, confirmed Prasidh Krishna had been in the selectors and the management’s radar for long.

It wasn’t a shocking revelation but still said something about Krishna, the tall, young express paceman from Karnataka.

“Prasidh Krishna has been considered a very good bowler in the shorter formats for a long time. When I was with the team, there used to be discussions about him as a good option,” Bangar told Star Sports.

Bangar’s comments, “there used to be discussions about him” among the decision-makers, was high praise. It was also a reinforcement, that they were always keen on some of the raw qualities Prasidh Krishna possesses.

With those words, it may seem that Krishna’s maiden India call-up came later than it might have. Perhaps, the selectors waited for the bowler to gain more experience and improve his control before deeming him fit for the rigors of international cricket.

Can Prasidh Krishna be a long-term middle-overs enforcer for India?

You can have pace and be able to deliver the hard ball, which troubles domestic batsmen, but at the international stage, failure to direct that pace and energy in the ‘right areas’ on flat pitches, could mean being taken for runs all over the park. Thus, the need to wait for a bowler to take his game to another level in terms of the control and the consistency he exhibits.

That improvement would’ve been on show when Krishna played a pivotal role in Karnataka’s recent Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign. He ended with 14 wickets from 7 innings at an average of 22.21. And though his economy rate was on the higher side – 5.44 runs per over – it made sense to give him the nod now, keeping in mind his potential and the opening provided by the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.

Previously, when they backed Navdeep Saini for a run in the limited-overs side, the selectors would’ve known that you have to bargain a certain level of ‘control’ anyway in order to get the best out of an out and out pacer.

In an ideal situation, a team would have three fast-bowlers providing 10 quality overs each spanned across various stages of an ODI innings. But when that isn’t the case, as is with most teams, you have to identify the right horse for the right haul and maximise people’s strengths.

Performances against England highlight Prasidh Krishna’s strengths and weaknesses

Those strengths, as well as weaknesses, have been evident through Prasidh Krishna’s first two outings against England. Spells of 4/54 and 2/58 in Pune have highlighted what Krishna has to offer to India and what he doesn’t.

In both the games, Krishna has been used upfront with the new ball and has shown a tendency to float the ball up there, look for swing, something that doesn’t seem to come naturally to him as he has been taken for plenty at fuller lengths.

On either occasion, he has had to pull his length back, bang the ball at hard lengths and cramp batsmen for ‘room’, a shift that has produced a greater level of success in restricting and dislodging the English batsmen. Especially in the middle-overs, where there are four fielders outside the thirty-yard circle as opposed to only two in the first powerplay.

With his exploits through the series and level of control he currently operates at, it would make sense for India to use Prasidh Krishna mostly in the middle-overs with good defensive fields and clear plans. He can prove an impactful middle-overs enforcer with his pace and height.

It’s a difficult role – Liam Plunkett played it with distinction for England till the 2019 World Cup – but a role in which India can get the best out of Krishna, who doesn’t have the swing and control to flourish with the new-ball but certainly, the pace and disconcerting bounce to keep himself relevant provided the right fields and plans.

When Shami, Bumrah return and join a rejuvenated Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the attack, India will have cover for more bases. But the whole idea of carrying a lengthy squad with you is to have varying options which can fill-in certain roles when your first-choice personnel are missing. Prasidh Krishna throws up one such option for India going forward.