Prasidh Krishna Eyes Redemption: Focus on Length, Economy After Headingley Setback

Prasidh Krishna, despite having participated in only four Test matches, is already focused on refining his game. A significant area for improvement is his economy rate, which currently stands at 5.07 after bowling 90 overs.

Prasidh Krishna seeks redemption after a tough match in Leeds © Getty

This concern was amplified during the defeat at Headingley, where Krishna conceded 6.28 runs per over, while Shardul Thakur gave away 5.56. As the change bowlers, neither managed to build pressure, which exacerbated India’s issues after the spells of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj concluded.

Krishna stated, "Every time I bowl, my aim is to bowl a maiden over and avoid conceding boundaries. The outfield at Headingley was quick, and my lengths and lines weren't accurate enough, which allowed the batsmen to capitalize. Some boundaries came off edges, and others from bouncers that ended up being expensive."

He further explained, "Someone in the team had to take on that role. If I were to focus solely on my economy rate and not prioritize taking wickets, it would be detrimental. Even if it means conceding a four or a six initially, if it leads to a wicket like Jamie Smith's dismissal, I'm willing to do it. However, my primary goal is always to keep the economy down and build pressure."

Krishna acknowledged having discussed this issue with members of the team. "I definitely want to improve my economy rate as much as possible. I see this as a learning process, and it's my responsibility to get better. I'm committed to putting in the necessary work to come back and deliver improved numbers."

The lengths to which Krishna alluded are particularly noteworthy. Headingley is known to favor bowlers who hit the good length area (6-8 meters). Krishna, however, bowled a significant number of deliveries – 104 out of 211 – shorter than a good length during the Test. While this strategy did yield three of his five wickets, it also resulted in a high economy rate of 7.54 when bowling short. Krishna admitted this overcompensation stemmed from his reluctance to bowl fuller deliveries that could be easily driven.

"In the first innings, I bowled a bit shorter than I intended, ideally, I should be in that 6 to 8-meter range. I think the second innings was slightly better because the wicket was slower. I had to pitch it a bit behind and then go fuller when trying to take a wicket," he said.

"So, I didn't bowl the lengths I wanted to. My reluctance to pitch it up there was definitely a factor, and it also took me some time to adjust to the slope. As a professional, I should be able to do it, and I take full responsibility for it. I hope to do better next time," Krishna added.

Krishna recognizes the need to learn these lessons quickly, especially with Jasprit Bumrah likely to miss at least two of the remaining four Tests due to workload management. This places greater responsibility on Krishna, both in terms of attacking and defending.

"The culture within the team encourages us to learn from each other, regardless of who is present. Bumrah has been communicating with all of us, even before arriving here," he noted.

"I've been part of this team for a few years now, so these conversations are ongoing. The one thing you can't replicate is experience; you have to gain that yourself. We're all excited about the opportunity. Siraj has played a lot of games and will continue to do so. Whoever comes in, it's a great experience and an opportunity for us to contribute."

Beyond his bowling responsibilities, Krishna is also expected to contribute more with the bat, especially after India's batting collapses at Headingley, where they lost 7 wickets for 41 runs in the first innings and 6 for 31 in the second. The Indian lower-order batsmen have been working diligently in the nets, and Krishna is aware of the need to place greater value on his wicket.

"As lower-order batsmen, we're definitely working on it. If you observe our net sessions, you'll see the effort we're putting in. It's about mentally committing yourself, trusting your skills, and staying at the crease longer. The runs will follow, and that's what we're striving for."