Indian fast bowler Prasidh Krishna has acknowledged that he failed to hit the desired line and length during the opening Test against England, and is now focused on improving his economy rate in the upcoming second Test at Edgbaston, set to begin on 2 July.
Despite claiming five wickets in the match — matching the tally of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah — Prasidh came under fire for his expensive spells, conceding runs at economy rates of 6.40 and 6.10 across the two innings. Critics pointed out that he often delivered balls in hittable areas, allowing England’s batters to capitalise.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, the Karnataka pacer admitted, “I think if I look at the first innings, I was a little shorter than where I wanted to be — definitely 6 to 8 metres is ideal. That is what I would say. I think the second innings got slightly better because the wicket was slightly slower.”
“I had to pitch a few slightly behind 8 metres and then go slightly fuller when I was trying to get a wicket. So yes, I definitely did not bowl the lengths that I wanted to,” he added.
Looking ahead, Krishna emphasised his determination to reduce his economy rate and contribute more effectively to building pressure on the opposition.
“I think I am learning as well. I cannot say anything — it is up to me. It is my responsibility to get better, and that is what I am trying. That is what I am working on. I just want to make sure I put in the right kind of work and come back here with better numbers,” he said.
With doubts surrounding Bumrah’s availability for the second Test, Krishna stressed the importance of learning from senior players and adapting quickly.
“At least for me, I have been part of this team for a few years now, so the conversations are still going on. One thing you cannot get is experience — you have to earn it yourself. All of us are excited. If you look at the team, everybody is here. (Mohammed) Siraj has played a lot of games, he is going to continue, and whoever comes in, it’s a great experience and opportunity. That’s the way we look at it.”
Reflecting on his performance in the opening Test, Krishna admitted that the quick outfield and his inconsistent execution gave the English batters opportunities to score freely.
“Some of them were edges, some of them I tried as bouncers but ended up conceding runs. I think somebody in the team had to do it. I’m happy to take that responsibility, but every time I come out to bowl, I’m looking to keep the economy rate down and build pressure.”