Prasidh Krishna had never thought he would take so many wickets at this year’s IPL.
He did make his India comeback on the tour of Australia, featuring in the Sydney Test earlier in the year and finishing with a match haul of six wickets. But the IPL was a tougher nut to crack for the 29-year-old quick.
Alongside missing the last couple of editions owing to a back stress fracture and a quadriceps injury, he also had the task of proving his credentials in the shortest format, where he struggled to find firm footing.
However, with 16 wickets from only eight matches so far in the ongoing edition at an economy rate of 7.29, the Karnataka pacer, now “slightly older and mature with better experiences”, has been a major factor behind the Gujarat Titans’ position in the top half of the standings.
“I think I’m slightly older and mature, having better experiences in life. And I’m also a little bit clear about what I’m going to get out of every practice session and every game that I’m going to play. It’s (about) the clarity I have in the decision that I’m going to make,” Prasidh said at the JioHotstar Press Room on Sunday.
“Credit goes to everybody who have worked around me. Even the people around me have helped me think the right way. So, everything has fallen into place.”
Missing the last two IPL seasons gave Prasidh a really tough time, he admitted. “It’s very hard to be sitting at home and watching everybody play.
“I told myself that there are two things that can happen. One is, yes, ‘Prasidh didn’t play the last two years, and he is playing this year, so there’s no difference. Or, he has actually come back as a different bowler, able to make a lot more impact and has a lot of control.’
"I’m glad the better one has happened now,” he said at the online news conference on the eve of the Titans clash against the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.
Following the IPL is the tour of England, where Team India will be playing five Tests. Prasidh does have a chance to make the Test squad, while it will also be difficult not to include him if he continues picking up wickets at critical phases, bowling tight lines at the same time in this IPL.
Prasidh, though, doesn’t want to think too far ahead at this stage. “Every game is important for me. For anybody, what’s right next to them is more important than what’s coming up later.
“So, currently, I’m looking at what best I can do for the Gujarat Titans and take everything that comes later,” he stated.
Prasidh also acknowledged that being able to use saliva to shine the ball has been beneficial for the bowlers. “If you use saliva, you can get extra movement. And if one out of 120 balls does that, you get an extra dot (ball) or even a wicket.
“If that wicket is of an important batsman, it can help the bowling side control the scoring rate and take the upper hand.”