Former India cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar offered a candid analysis of Prasidh Krishna’s performance in the ongoing first Test between India and England at Headingley. Despite initial criticism, Manjrekar felt the tall pacer had shown marked improvement and even outperformed some of his senior bowling colleagues in the match.

Speaking to JioCinema, Manjrekar highlighted that Prasidh, though expensive early on—conceding 56 runs in his first 10 overs—looked much sharper and more purposeful compared to his previous outing in South Africa.

“If you compare Prasidh Krishna in this Test to his debut in South Africa, this has definitely been his best effort. He might not have picked wickets early, but he was India’s second-best seamer on Day 2. He bowled with more potency than Mohammed Siraj and certainly looked more threatening than Shardul Thakur,” Sanjay Manjrekar remarked.

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He added that the team management’s decision to pick Prasidh for this match was a justifiable one. “With a bit more confidence and maybe a couple of breakthroughs early on, he could be a strong asset going forward. He’s done almost everything he could within his ability,” Manjrekar added.

Echoing similar sentiments, former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta acknowledged Prasidh’s strengths but pointed out a key area of concern—his consistency on flat pitches.

“On a surface like Leeds, which doesn’t offer much for the bowlers, you have to maintain a tight line and length ball after ball. Prasidh has bowled some really good deliveries but hasn’t been consistent enough. That inconsistency has allowed batters like Harry Brook to free their arms,” Dasgupta noted.

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Despite a tough start, Prasidh turned his fortunes around dramatically. On Day 3, he accounted for three crucial wickets—Ollie Pope (106), Jamie Smith (40), and the dangerous Harry Brook (99)—helping India wrest control back. However, one telling stat is that Prasidh is yet to bowl a single maiden over in his 20-over spell so far, indicating room for improvement in terms of control and pressure-building. Nonetheless, it’s been a promising turnaround for a bowler trying to cement his place in India’s red-ball setup.