India Eyes Comeback Against England; Prasidh Krishna Ready to Step Up Amid Bumrah's Limited Test Role

Following a setback in the opening Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England at Headingley, Leeds, the Indian team is focused on regrouping. England's victory has placed the spotlight on India's strategy for managing the workload of their key bowler, Jasprit Bumrah.

Prasidh Krishna and Jasprit Bumrah

Despite the loss, head coach Gautam Gambhir has reaffirmed that Bumrah's participation will be limited to three out of the five Test matches, a decision that was predetermined. "We need to manage his workload. The scoreline doesn’t change that… he will play three Tests only," Gambhir stated, emphasizing the importance of Bumrah's long-term fitness.

Prasidh Krishna Steps Up

In Bumrah’s absence, fellow pacer Prasidh Krishna sees a valuable opportunity to contribute to the team's success. He emphasized the positive environment within the squad, stating, "What a culture we guys have created. We are learning from each other, no matter who's there or who's around." Krishna highlighted Bumrah's continuous support and guidance, saying, "With Booms (Bumrah) around, he's been talking to all of us throughout, even before coming here."

He further added, "If you look at the team, everybody is here. Siraj has played a lot of games, he's going to continue playing, and whoever comes in — or whatever happens later — it's a great experience and an opportunity. That’s the way we look at it."

Reflecting on the First Test

England's victory was a historic one, marking the first instance in over 60,000 first-class matches where a team successfully chased a 300-plus target despite conceding five individual centuries. While India posted a substantial 835 runs, powered by two centuries from Rishabh Pant, batting collapses proved detrimental.

Prasidh addressed concerns about the team's morale, stating, "The dressing room is still positive, happy, and very, very motivated." He added, "Even in the game today, we might have looked quiet at times, but I think we still had a plan."

He elaborated on the team's strategy during the match, saying, "We wanted to do something, and we went about doing it — we got two wickets in a cluster, twice. So that kept the motivation going... we held on to the hope that something might happen. So we were still out there believing. We made sure that until the last run was scored, we were still fighting and making them work hard for it."

Krishna Aims for Improvement

Acknowledging his own performance, where he took five wickets but had a higher economy rate, Prasidh said, "I definitely want to bring that number down — to the best I can. And I think I’m learning as well. It’s on me — I can’t say anything else. It’s my responsibility to get better, and that’s what I’m trying. That’s what I’m working on. I just want to make sure I put in the right kind of work and come back here with better numbers."

He explained his approach to bowling, "Every time I come out to bowl, I’m definitely looking to bowl a maiden. I’m not really trying to give away boundaries or anything... But yes, every time I bowl, I’m looking to keep the economy rate down and build pressure."

Prasidh Praises Captain Gill

This series marks Shubman Gill’s first stint as India’s Test captain. Prasidh, who has played under Gill before, commended his leadership, "About Shubman — yeah, I think he did a pretty good job. All of us saw how he rotated the bowlers, made sure everyone got enough breaks, and brought bowlers in at the right times. He spotted opportunities and used the right bowlers accordingly." He added, "Knowing him, he created a very good atmosphere around the team."

Prasidh concluded by highlighting the team's collective efforts to improve, "We always go in with a plan, and the communication is happening there. As lower-order batsmen, we are definitely working on our game... I think it’s also about putting your mind into it — making sure you trust yourself, trust the skill you have, and stay at the crease a little longer. The runs and numbers will then follow. And we are working towards that."