Prasidh Krishna on India's Resilient Mindset Amid Bumrah's Absence in England Test Series

Following India's defeat in the opening Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England at Headingley, Leeds, the focus has shifted to managing the workload of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. Despite the loss, head coach Gautam Gambhir confirmed that Bumrah would only participate in three of the five Tests, a decision made prior to the series.

"We need to manage his workload. The scoreline doesn't change that… he will play three Tests only," Gambhir stated.

Prasidh Krishna emphasizes the team's positive environment despite Bumrah's limited availability.

In Bumrah's absence, fellow pacer Prasidh Krishna sees it as an opportunity for others to step up.

"What a culture we guys have created. We are learning from each other, no matter who's there or who's around. And with Booms (Bumrah) around, he's been talking to all of us throughout," Prasidh told reporters in Birmingham.

He highlighted the importance of experience and the team's collective excitement. "One thing you cannot get is experience — you have to go through it yourself. And yeah, I think all of us are excited," he added.

Prasidh further emphasized the depth in the team, noting that players like Siraj have significant experience. "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."

England's recent win was remarkable, overcoming significant batting contributions from India. Despite India posting 835 runs, including two centuries from Rishabh Pant, batting collapses proved costly.

Prasidh dismissed any concerns about the team's morale. "The dressing room is still positive, happy, and very, very motivated. Like I said, we came here knowing what this opportunity meant for all of us. And even in the game today, we might have looked quiet at times, but I think we still had a plan," he explained.

He further elaborated on the team's fighting spirit: "We made sure that until the last run was scored, we were still fighting and making them work hard for it."

Krishna Aims to Improve His Performance

While Bumrah excelled in the first innings, the other bowlers, including Siraj and Prasidh, faced challenges. Prasidh acknowledged his high economy rate and is focused on improvement.

"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," Prasidh stated.

He discussed his strategy for controlling the run rate: "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."

Reflecting on his bowling lengths, he admitted: "If I look at the first innings, I was a little shorter than where I wanted to be... So yeah, I definitely didn’t bowl the lengths I wanted to."

Prasidh Praises Captain Gill

This series marks Shubman Gill’s first as India’s Test captain. Prasidh, who has played under Gill at Gujarat Titans, praised 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," Prasidh said. "And knowing him, he created a very good atmosphere around the team."

He concluded by emphasizing the team's focus on improving their batting performance: "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."