Prasidh Krishna has found himself under intense scrutiny following his performance in the first Test match between England and India, particularly concerning his high economy rate. Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan didn't hold back in his criticism, drawing a stark comparison between Krishna's economy in the Test and Jasprit Bumrah's economy in T20Is. This comparison has ignited a debate about Krishna's effectiveness in the longer format of the game and whether he needs to make significant adjustments to his bowling strategy.
Krishna conceded a total of 220 runs in the 35 overs he bowled across both innings of the Test, managing to take five wickets. While securing wickets is crucial, the high number of runs conceded raised eyebrows and sparked concerns about his ability to control the flow of runs, a vital aspect of Test cricket. Pathan, analyzing the game on Sony Sports, pointed out that Krishna's economy rate was alarmingly high, nearing Jasprit Bumrah's T20 economy rate of approximately 6.50 [actually 6.88]. He emphasized that Krishna needs to prioritize controlling his economy, leveraging his height and pace to bowl in consistent areas that trouble the batsmen.
Saba Karim, another former Indian cricketer, echoed Pathan's concerns, highlighting that Krishna was "leaking a lot of runs." Karim acknowledged that Krishna showed improvement in the second innings by adjusting his length, but still observed inconsistencies in his bowling, such as bowling too wide or too short at times. He stressed the need for Krishna to work diligently on his accuracy and consistently hit the right areas.
The criticism extends beyond just the economy rate. It touches upon Krishna's adaptability and strategic thinking on the field. While he possesses the raw attributes of height and pace, translating those into effective Test bowling requires a nuanced understanding of the game and the ability to adjust to different batsmen and match situations.
However, it's important to consider Jasprit Bumrah's T20I stats to provide a balanced view. Bumrah has played 55 T20Is, securing 66 wickets with an economy rate of 6.52. In T20 World Cup 2024, Bumrah has the best bowling economy rate of just 3.42. This shows that Bumrah is one of the most complete fast bowler of all time.
The Indian team lost the first Test by five wickets, with England successfully chasing down a target of 371. Krishna's high economy rate undoubtedly contributed to the pressure on the Indian bowlers and the team's overall performance. He registered the third-worst economy rate (6.28) for bowlers who had bowled a minimum of 35 overs in a single Test for at least twenty overs bowled.
Looking ahead to the second Test, it remains to be seen whether the team management will persist with Krishna or opt for a different bowling combination. The pressure is on Krishna to take the feedback to heart and demonstrate tangible improvements in his accuracy, consistency, and overall control. Whether he can rise to the occasion and silence his critics remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: he needs to address the concerns surrounding his economy rate if he wants to cement his place in the Indian Test squad.
