Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar said fast-bowler Prasidh Krishna has been known in the set-up as a fine prospect for a long time. Bangar revealed Krishna has been part of the selectors and team management’s discussions regarding the limited-overs game for quite a while.
Krishna, the tall Karnataka paceman, was recently included in India’s 18-man squad for the three-match ODI series against England in Pune. The paceman, for whom speed has never been an issue but control and consistency sometimes lacking, is an ever-improving customer.
In the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy, Krishna took 14 wickets from 7 innings at an average of 22.41 and had an economy of 5.44. The nod from the selectors to play the England series was an immediate reward for his fantastic domestic performances.
In a discussion on the recent edition of the Star Sports’ show ‘Cricket Connected’, Bangar talked about Krishna’s inclusion in the Indian ODI squad. The former India batting coach confirmed the fact that Krishna has been in the scheme of things for a long time.
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,
said Bangar.
Also, Bangar believes Krishna’s experience of playing for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) will help him when he does get to play for India. The 25-year-old speedster has played 24 games in his overall IPL career and has impressed quite a few prominent names with his pace and hostility.
His biggest speciality is that he has played 24-25 IPL matches. So he knows very well how to understand the situation and bowl according to the field settings. He has a sound head and can take good decisions,
said Bangar.
Sanjay Bangar terms Prasidh Krishna an excellent addition to India’s bench strength
For his talent and ability, Bangar deemed Krishna a welcome addition to India’s fast-bowling bench strength and hoped that the pacer will get a long run in the playing XI at some stage.
I feel it will be another good addition in the bench strength if Prasidh Krishna plays well and we expect he gets more chances so that he gets the opportunity to prove his ability,
Bangar added.
Krishna has played 48 List A matches in his young career before progressing to the highest level. In those matches, he has taken an impressive 81 wickets at an average of 23.07 with an economy of 5.17.
The pacer has featured in 9 first-class matches with 34 wickets to his name at an average of just 20.26, including 1 five-wicket haul and 2 four-wicket hauls.
On Monday (March 22), Krishna got the chance to wear the Indian jersey for the very first time. The pacer couldn’t hold back his emotions as via an Instagram post, he shared a picture of him in the Indian ODI jersey with his finger pointing towards the badge on his heart.
The greatest piece of armour I have donned. This badge on my chest is no short of any crown,
Krishna wrote along with it, making clear how happy and proud he is feeling about it.
Krishna joins an Indian limited-overs squad already featuring veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar and the likes of Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, T Natarajan, who have gotten in because experienced pacemen Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami are unavailable.
While Shami has been recuperating from an injury he picked up while playing the first Test in Australia, Bumrah was given rest from the limited-overs leg of the England series due to personal reasons as he got married recently.
