India is displaying a resilient spirit despite suffering a setback in the opening Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England at Headingley, Leeds. England's victory has given them a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, intensifying the focus on India's strategy and player management.
Prasidh Krishna and Jasprit Bumrah strategizing on the field.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir has affirmed the pre-series decision to manage pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's workload, limiting him to only three of the five Tests. "Haven’t decided which two matches Bumrah will play, but he will play a total of three. We need to manage his workload. The scoreline doesn’t change that… he will play three Tests only," Gambhir stated, highlighting the importance of long-term planning.
In Bumrah’s absence, fellow pacer Prasidh Krishna views this as an opportunity for the team to showcase its depth and adaptability.
"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, even before coming here... One thing you cannot get is experience — you have to go through it yourself. And yeah, I think all of us are excited," Prasidh shared with reporters in Birmingham, emphasizing the team's positive environment and continuous learning.
He further added, "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, marking the first instance in over 60,000 first-class matches where a team conceded five individual centuries and successfully chased down a target exceeding 300 runs. Despite Rishabh Pant's two centuries and a total of 835 runs in the match, India's batting collapses proved detrimental.
Prasidh also addressed any concerns about the team's morale, stating, "The dressing room is still positive, happy, and very, very motivated... even in the game today, we might have looked quiet at times, but I think we still had a plan."
He continued, "We wanted to do something, and we went about doing it — we got two wickets in a cluster, twice. So that kept the motivation going... We made sure that until the last run was scored, we were still fighting and making them work hard for it."
While Jasprit Bumrah excelled with five wickets in the first innings, the supporting bowlers, including Siraj, Prasidh, and Shardul, faced challenges. Prasidh, in particular, acknowledged the need for improvement in his consistency and economy.
"Yeah, definitely (on economy over 6)... 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. That’s what I’m working on. I just want to make sure I put in the right kind of work and come back here with better numbers," Prasidh stated.
He also elaborated on his approach, "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... The lengths and lines I bowled weren’t perfect, to be honest, most of the time. And they took me on... But I think someone in the team had to do it... So if that’s what it takes to get a wicket, I’m happy to do it... But yes, every time I bowl, I’m looking to keep the economy rate down and build pressure."
Reflecting on his bowling lengths, Prasidh mentioned, "If I look at the first innings, I was a little shorter than where I wanted to be. Ideally, six to eight meters is what I was aiming for... In the second innings, it got slightly better because the wicket was a bit slower."
This series marks Shubman Gill’s first stint as India’s Test captain, following Rohit Sharma’s retirement. Prasidh, who has previously played under Gill at Gujarat Titans, lauded his captaincy.
"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. He spotted opportunities and used the right bowlers accordingly... And knowing him, he created a very good atmosphere around the team," Prasidh commented.
He concluded, "He's been speaking to all of us. We always go in with a plan, and the communication is happening there... 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."
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