After the conclusion of another exhilarating Indian Premier League (IPL) season, the focus will inevitably shift to international assignments. With India’s crucial five-match Test tour of England looming in June-July 2025, national selectors will be keenly observing domestic and IPL performances for potential reinforcements.
Among the standout performers in IPL 2025, Gujarat Titans’ express pacer Prasidh Krishna has made a compelling case for inclusion in the Test squad, particularly given the demands of English conditions. His impactful displays, which currently see him holding the Purple Cap as the league’s leading wicket-taker, have highlighted several qualities that could make him a valuable asset in the red-ball format against a formidable English side.
Why Prasidh Krishna should be picked for the upcoming India tour of England?
Here are three key reasons why Prasidh Krishna deserves serious consideration for a Test call-up for the England tour:
Firstly, Krishna’s raw pace and ability to generate steep bounce are significant advantages, especially in England. While IPL pitches are often tailored for batting, Krishna consistently showed the ability to hurry batsmen with his speed, clocking speeds well over 140 kmph regularly. English surfaces, particularly early in the season or under overcast skies, can offer assistance to pacers who hit the deck hard and extract bounce. Krishna’s height and high-arm action allow him to exploit this, creating discomfort for batsmen and bringing various modes of dismissal into play, including catches behind the wicket and leg before wicket from awkward lengths. This natural ability to generate pace and bounce is a quality highly prized in Test cricket and is particularly effective in challenging overseas conditions like England. His IPL performance, where he has been a consistent wicket-taker, demonstrated that he has maintained or even enhanced this key attribute.
Secondly, the subtle art of swing bowling, both conventional and reverse, is paramount in England. While the white ball in the IPL behaves differently from the red Dukes ball used in English Tests, Krishna has shown glimpses of being able to move the ball off the seam and, crucially, generate inward movement at high pace. This ability to bring the ball back into the right-hander is a potent weapon, capable of trapping batsmen lbw or breaching their defenses. Developing control over conventional swing with the red ball will be key, but his basic bowling mechanics and wrist position suggest he has the foundation to adapt. Furthermore, his experience bowling in pressure situations in the IPL, where he has successfully defended totals and picked up wickets at crucial junctures (like dismissing dangerous hitters Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen), would have honed his ability to execute specific plans and variations, which is vital for building pressure and taking wickets in Test match spells.
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Thirdly, Krishna’s improved control and consistency showcased in IPL 2025 are strong indicators of his readiness for the longer format. In previous stints, there were sometimes questions about his economy rate or ability to maintain tight lines for extended periods. However, in the current IPL season, where he currently leads the wicket charts with 19 scalps from 10 matches at a commendable economy rate, he has appeared to have refined his control significantly. He has been bowling more accurately and building pressure effectively, not just relying solely on pace.
Test cricket demands patience, discipline, and the ability to bowl long spells while maintaining intensity and accuracy. His performances for Gujarat Titans suggest a growing maturity in his bowling, demonstrating an ability to stick to a plan and bowl wicket-taking deliveries without leaking too many runs. This enhanced consistency is perhaps the most crucial factor that makes him a viable candidate for the rigours of Test cricket in England, where bowling partnerships and sustained pressure are key to success.
Also READ: Eoin Morgan showers praise on Prasidh Krishna for stellar IPL 2025 campaign
