Glenn McGrath was very specific about line and length: Prasidh Krishna
After registering the best figures by a male Indian bowler on ODI debut (4/54) during India's 66-run win in the first ODI against England in Pune, Prasidh Krishna opened up about the role legendary fast bowler Glenn McGrath played in his development.
McGrath, who finished his Test career with 563 wickets, had first helped hone Prasidh's fast bowling skills at the MRF Pace Acedemy at Chennai in 2017.
Speaking exclusively to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the franchise he plays for in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Karnataka pacer revealed how McGrath drilled into him the importance of sticking to a consistent line and length while bowling. Prasidh Krishna said:
“The difference he made was to bring in that aura of calmness and also he was very specific about the line and length with respect to different pitches. He always spoke of being consistent."
"The first thing I picked from Glenn McGrath was to remain in the present" - Prasidh Krishna
Prasidh Krishna's four-wicket haul on debut was made even more special because of the way he bounced back after being on the receiving end of a mauling by English openers Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy.
In fact, the 25-year-old had gone for 37 runs in his first three overs before storming back to give India the much needed breakthrough by dismissing Roy and slamming the breaks on the English juggernaut.
That proved to be the turning point of the match as England collapsed from 131 for no loss in 14 overs to 251 all-out, with Prasidh adding the wickets of Ben Stokes, Sam Billings and Tom Curran to his tally.
Crediting his mentor for his strong comeback, Prasidh Krishna said that staying in the present was one of the first things he picked up from McGrath.
"The first thing I picked from him (McGrath) was to remain in the present under all circumstances as it is the most important aspect for a bowler when you are playing a game," finished Prasidh Krishna.
A thrilled Glenn McGrath had earlier congratulated his ward for his fantastic debut in an Instagram post.