India's Krishna Confident Despite Bumrah Absence, Hails Team Spirit in England Test Series

Following India's defeat in the opening Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England at Headingley, Leeds, the focus shifts to how the team will manage without Jasprit Bumrah for some of the remaining matches. Despite the setback, the team remains optimistic and is focused on the challenges ahead.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir clarified that Bumrah would only participate in three of the five Tests, a decision predetermined regardless of the first Test result. This places additional responsibility on the other pacers in the squad.

In Bumrah's absence, Prasidh Krishna sees a valuable opportunity for himself and the other bowlers 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, even before coming here. At least for me, I've been part of this team for a few years now, so the conversations are still going on. One thing you cannot get is experience — you have to go through it yourself. And yeah, I think all of us are excited," Prasidh told reporters in Birmingham.

He further emphasized the team's positive outlook: "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 victory was indeed remarkable. They achieved the distinction of being the first team in over 60,000 first-class matches to successfully chase a target exceeding 300 runs despite conceding five individual centuries. Although India amassed a total of 835 runs in the match, propelled by two centuries from Rishabh Pant, they were undermined by batting collapses—7 wickets for 41 runs and 6 wickets for 31 runs—that ultimately proved detrimental.

Prasidh also firmly dismissed any rumors of dressing room unrest. "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 stated.

"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. And then, you know, as a bowling unit, when something's happening, we still ended up taking the new ball. They needed about 20 runs, but we held on to the hope that something might happen. So we were still out there believing. We made sure that until the last run was scored, we were still fighting and making them work hard for it," he added, highlighting the team's resilience.

Krishna Acknowledges Areas for Improvement

While Bumrah shone with five wickets in the first innings, the other bowlers, including Siraj, Prasidh, and Shardul, faced challenges. Prasidh, in particular, was expensive and lacked the consistency he aimed for.

In the first innings, he took three wickets but conceded 128 runs in 20 overs with an economy rate of 6.40. The second innings saw him claim two more wickets, but he still gave away 92 runs in 15 overs, maintaining an economy rate of 6.10.

"Yeah, definitely (on economy over 6). I had a few conversations with some of the guys about how this game went. 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 explained.

Intentions and Game Plans

He emphasized his intention to improve his economy rate while focusing on taking wickets. "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 outfield was fast. The lengths and lines I bowled weren’t perfect, to be honest, most of the time. And they took me on — some were edges, and some were bouncers I tried that ended up going for runs. But I think someone in the team had to do it. And if I sit back and only look at my numbers or economy rate and not the wickets — well, it got me a four and a six, and then Jamie Smith got out. 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," the pacer added.

He further elaborated on his bowling strategy: "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 — that's what I would say. In the second innings, it got slightly better because the wicket was a bit slower. I had to pitch a few deliveries slightly behind the ideal spot and then go a bit fuller when trying to get a wicket. So yeah, I definitely didn’t bowl the lengths I wanted to," he said.

Prasidh Praises Gill's Captaincy

This series marks Shubman Gill’s first stint as India’s Test captain following Rohit Sharma’s retirement. Prasidh has previously played under Gill for Gujarat Titans.

"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. All of that was great. And knowing him, he created a very good atmosphere around the team," Prasidh said, praising Gill's leadership.

"He's been speaking to all of us. We always go in with a plan, and the communication is happening there. As lower-order batsmen, we are definitely working on our game. If you look at our net sessions, we are putting in the work. 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," Prasidh concluded, highlighting the team's collective efforts and preparation.