Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has voiced strong support for Prasidh Krishna, urging the Indian team management to invest more game time in the tall pacer. Despite a forgettable outing in the first Test against England at Headingley—where Krishna conceded over six runs an over across both innings—Ashwin believes that with proper grooming, Krishna can become a lethal weapon, especially in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.

“When he hits the right length, Prasidh is a genuine wicket-taker. He’s one for the future. If Bumrah is going to be rested or rotated as part of workload management, Prasidh should be groomed to lead the pace attack,” Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

The Karnataka pacer showed glimpses of brilliance, generating steep bounce and troubling batters when he bowled in the right areas. However, his inconsistency allowed England’s aggressive batters to dominate. Ashwin acknowledged the rawness but stressed the importance of nurturing such a rare talent.

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Ashwin also mentioned Arshdeep Singh as a potential alternative. Though the left-armer is yet to make his Test debut, his experience with Kent in county cricket could serve him well. “If India want variety, Arshdeep provides a left-arm angle. But let’s not forget what Akash Deep has done. He’s shown excellent control with the red ball,” Ravichandran Ashwin added.

Beyond the fast bowlers, Ashwin discussed the debate between Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan or Nitish Kumar Reddy for the middle-order slot. “How many overs can Reddy bowl? How is his form with the bat? I know the team management rates him highly,” Ravichandran Ashwin pointed out.

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With Bumrah possibly being rested for the Edgbaston Test, India may have to rely on Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Akash Deep to shoulder the pace burden. Without Bumrah’s precision at one end, Ashwin noted, the others struggled with length and discipline—something that must improve if India hopes to level the series.