During the second day of the 5th Test between India and England at The Oval, Prasidh Krishna found himself in the midst of a heated exchange with Joe Root, a typically composed character, leading to a surprising reaction that caught the Indian pacer off guard. The incident occurred after Krishna beat Root with a delivery that moved away, prompting the bowler to exchange words with the batter. Root responded the very next ball with a boundary and some words of his own. Umpires had to step in to calm things down after the exchange.
Krishna later downplayed the incident as banter but admitted he didn't anticipate Root's strong reaction. He said that he had only said "You're looking in great shape" to Root. At a press conference, Krishna clarified that it was part of India's strategy to try and disrupt Root's concentration, but he didn't expect his words to elicit such a response.
"That was the plan, but I didn't expect the couple of words I said to get such a big reaction from him," Krishna stated. "That's just who I am when I'm bowling, when I'm enjoying. If it means that I have a bit of a chatter with the batter... and it does help me when I can get under the nerves of the batsman and get a reaction from them". Despite the on-field intensity, Krishna expressed his respect for Root, calling him a "legend of the game".
The incident sparked debate, with former England captains weighing in on the situation. Alastair Cook suggested that India's plan to unsettle Root had worked, while Michael Vaughan noted the growing tension between the two teams. Some observers felt that Krishna's actions, including another instance where Akash Deep put his arm around Ben Duckett after dismissing him, were unusual.
KL Rahul also got involved, arguing with umpire Kumar Dharmasena, seemingly displeased that only Krishna was being warned. Stump mics caught Rahul saying, "What do you want us to do, keep quiet? What do you want us to do—bat, bowl, and go home?".
Despite the controversy, Krishna remains unapologetic about his approach. He emphasized that his on-field behavior is simply an expression of his competitive spirit and that he and Root are good friends off the field. "It was just a little bit of banter and both of us enjoyed it, I think," Krishna said. He also said, "That's just who I am when I'm bowling, when I'm enjoying".
The Indian pacer also addressed his performance and role within the team. Despite external criticism and being dropped for a couple of games, Krishna said he felt supported by the dressing room and was focused on improving his skills. He said he was happy to go back to the drawing board and improve, so he could perform his role for the team. He also spoke about the challenges of bowling on a pitch with life for fast bowlers and the need to maintain good lengths despite aggressive batting from the opposition.
