Headline: Prasidh Krishna Vows to Sharpen Bowling After Leeds Setback: Focus on Length, Economy Rate

Prasidh Krishna is determined to bounce back after a less-than-ideal performance in the recent Test match. With a focus on refining his lengths and improving his economy rate, the bowler acknowledges the need for personal growth and better execution on the field.

Prasidh Krishna looking to improve after a tough outing in Leeds © Getty

Krishna, who has featured in four Tests, has an economy rate of 5.07 after bowling 90 overs. He's identified this as a key area needing immediate attention.

Headingley Performance Under Scrutiny

The recent defeat at Headingley amplified concerns about Krishna's economy. His rate of 6.28, coupled with Shardul Thakur's 5.56, meant neither bowler could maintain sufficient pressure after the spells of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.

"Every time I come into bowl, I'm definitely looking to bowl a maiden, and I'm not really trying to give away boundaries or anything," Krishna explained. He admitted that the fast outfield at Headingley, combined with imperfect lengths and lines, contributed to his high run concession. "The lengths, lines that I bowled were not perfect to be honest at most times, and they took me on. Some of them were edges, some of them I tried bowling bouncers, I ended up giving runs."

Taking Responsibility

Krishna emphasized his commitment to the team's needs, even if it means taking risks. "So I think somebody in the team had to do it, and if I sit back and say, 'I want to look at my numbers, what my economy is,' and not really look at the wickets, it cost me a 4 and a 6, and then Jamie Smith got out, so if it means that I do that and get a wicket, I'm happy to do it, but definitely every time I come on to the bowl, I am looking to keep the economy down and build the pressure up."

He acknowledged the importance of lowering his economy rate and is actively working towards improvement. "I had a few conversations with a few of them about this game. I definitely would want to bring that [economy] down to whatever best I can do, and yeah, I think I'm learning as well, I can't say anything, it's up to me, it's my responsibility to get better, and that's what I'm trying, that's what I'm working on, and I just want to make sure I put in the right kind of work and come back here and put up better numbers."

Length Adjustment

Krishna's lengths have been a topic of discussion. At Headingley, a significant portion of his deliveries were shorter than the ideal 6-8 metre range, historically known as the 'kiss the surface' length. While he secured three wickets with this strategy, he also conceded runs at a rate of 7.54.

He explained this overcompensation stemmed from a desire to avoid pitching the ball up and inviting easy drives.

Addressing Length Concerns

"No, I think if I look at the first innings, I was a little too short than where I wanted to be, that 6 to 8 [metre length] is ideal. Yeah, that's what I would say. I think the second innings got slightly better because again, the wicket was slightly slower. I had to pitch a few slightly behind it and then go slightly fuller when I'm trying to get a wicket."

He admitted to struggling with consistency in his lengths. "So yeah, I definitely did not bowl the lengths that I wanted. Yeah, I think so... not wanting to float it up there is definitely one of the reasons, and also, it honestly took me some time to get used to the slope, that's why, yeah, no reasons why I shouldn't be able to do it as a professional, but I take complete responsibility about it, and maybe I'll do it better next time."

Stepping Up in Bumrah's Absence

With Jasprit Bumrah potentially missing at least two of the remaining Tests, Krishna recognizes the increased responsibility on his shoulders. This absence is part of a pre-series workload management strategy.

Learning from Each Other

Krishna emphasized the team's supportive environment. "What the culture that we guys have created is we are learning off each other, no matter who's there, who's around. He's [Bumrah] been talking to all of us all though, even before coming here."

He highlighted the importance of experience and the opportunities available to the team. "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, that you have to do it yourself, and yeah, I think all of us are excited. If you look at the team, everybody is here, Siraj has played a lot of games, he's going to continue playing, and then whoever comes in, or whatever happens later, it's a great experience, and it's an opportunity for us to be here."

Contributing with the Bat

Following India's batting collapses at Headingley, Krishna is also focused on improving his batting contribution. The lower order has been diligently practicing in the nets.

"As the lower order batsmen, we definitely are working on it... if you look at our nets session, we are putting in the work, I think it is about putting your mind in there as well, making sure you trust yourself, trust the skill that you have, and be there at the crease for a little longer, and then the numbers and the runs are going to show, and we are working towards it."