India vs England: Australia legend Jeff Thomson's name shines after Prasidh Krishna's terrific international debut

Prasidh Krishna has become Team India’s latest fast-bowling sensation. Prasidh made his debut in international cricket on Tuesday during the first ODI against England at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune. The right-arm pacer finished the game as India’s most successful bowler, taking 4 wickets for 54 runs.

Prasidh played an integral role in India’s 66-run win in the first game. The 25-year old did not start well with the ball as Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy took him to the cleaners. He conceded 37 runs off his first three overs before Virat Kohli took him out of the attack. The India skipper recalled the debutant to bowl the 15th over and Prasidh totally justified Kohli’s decision.

After being hit for a four on the first ball, Prasidh dismissed Roy to end the 135-run stand between the England openers and give India the much-needed breakthrough. In his following over, he dismissed Ben Stokes for just 1 to put India on top. Later in the game, he took the crucial wicket of Sam Billings to end England’s hopes and fittingly took the final wicket of the match too.

Prasidh Krishna’s Australian connection:

While Prasidh Krishna is yet to tour Australia as an India player, he had toured the country in the past to learn about pace bowling from none other than the legendary Jeff Thomson. In 2017, he travelled to Australia along with Tushar Desphande and two others to train with Thomson as part of the IDBI Federal Bowling Foundation.

According to Makarand Waingankar, a former cricket administrator and columnist, the training at the Cricket Australia Academy in Brisbane proved extremely beneficial for Prasidh. Waingankar also lavished praise on Prasidh for his “cricket intelligence” and said it was evident in how he bounced back after being hit for runs in his first three overs in international cricket.

“The exposure Prasidh Krishna got at the CA Academy stood him in good stead and helped improve his skills,” he was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

“He is very intelligent…I am talking about his cricket intelligence. This helped him bounce back after a tough start when he was taken apart by the England openers. This showed the boy’s character,” the veteran columnist added.

Apart from learning from Thomson, Prasidh has also learned about pace bowling from another Aussie legend Glenn McGrath at the MRF Pace Foundation. In 2019, he had gone to the CA Centre of Excellence in Brisbane as part of the MRF Pace Foundation’s MoU with Cricket Australia. Prasidh also idolizes a former Australian bowler – Brett Lee, according to his father.

“Prasidh started playing at the age of 11 and did well in school cricket as an all-rounder. At the age of 14, he became serious about fast bowling. The family has supported him in his endeavours. He is a huge fan of Brett Lee and likes to bowl fast and with fire like him. And, he loves masala dosa,” said Prasidh’s father.