Prasidh Krishna has the ability to bowl “magic balls” and the pacer needs to be given an extended run to serve India for a long time, said bowling coach Morne Morkel here on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters after rain forced the series decider to day five with England needing 35 runs and four wickets in hand, Morkel praised Prasidh and Mohammed Siraj for keeping India in the game despite hundreds from Joe Root and Harry Brook on day four.
“In the same breath as Siraj, Prasidh has also in this tour found a bit of confidence. If you look at the first Test match to today, his consistency, his line and lengths, he improved a lot and he’s a guy that I believe can be a very good Test bowler for India,” said Morkel.
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“He’s just a guy that needs a bit of time and he needs to be backed with a bit of confidence and every spell, he’s a guy that can create that magic ball for you with extra bounce and pace,” said the former South Africa fast bowler.
Prasidh struck twice in the final session to keep India alive in the game while Siraj once again put his tired body on the line and bowled an extended eight-over spell in the morning before building pressure alongside Prasidh in the last half hour of play.
On where the game stands, he added: “The series so far, there have been moments like that where it’s sort of up and down and we finally managed to break the partnership which was great and was important for us and it’s almost like it’s always, you feel for the new batter.
“It’s quite tough to start, no matter what. It was looking quite flat out there and we managed to get a bit of something on the ball, which is great for the series so far and unfortunately, yeah, the rain came in and we had to come back tomorrow,” he signed off.
Injured Woakes may bat on day 5 ======================== After scoring his 39th Test hundred, Joe Root said it was fitting that the series was going into day five just like the previous four games on this tour.
“It was always going to happen like this wasn’t it? I mean, look at the first four games. It’s just been that kind of series. It’s been amazing to play in and quite fitting that we’re going to get that kind of finish tomorrow,” said Root, hoping the heavy roller helps his team on Monday.
Talking about the timing of stumps on day four, he said: “There’s pros and cons of both, really. Their guys had bowled a lot, there were overs in their legs. You get back out there, get a couple of boundaries away and all of a sudden the game looks very different again.
“But then again, you come back tomorrow, you get another roller, you can rest up and it’s a completely new opportunity. I think for both teams there’s pros and cons.”
Root, who has negated some of the best bowlers of this era, heaped praise on Siraj.
“He’s a character. He’s a warrior, a real warrior. He’s someone that you want in your team. He gives everything for India and it’s credit to him for that the way he approaches cricket. He’s got this fake anger about him sometimes, which I can see straight through. You can tell that he’s actually a really nice lad,” he said.
The former England skipper also lauded Prasidh Krishna with whom he had a run-in in the first innings of this Test.
“Prasidh is a proven performer, he is a brilliant player. You don’t play for India as a seamer without having a huge amount of talent and clearly he’s gonna do great things in the game.
“It wasn’t anything between the two of us that sort of brought that on, that was more frustration on my part for not getting us over the line,” he added.
