Prasidh Krishna Reflects on Competitive Spirit Against Joe Root in Fifth Test

In a thrilling day of Test cricket at The Oval, Indian bowler Prasidh Krishna opened up about his competitive exchange with England's Joe Root. The match saw India bowled out for 224, with Krishna playing a pivotal role in triggering England's batting collapse. Discover how their friendly banter added intensity to the game and what Krishna had to say about his performance and the spirit of competition on the field.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 2, 2025, 04:56 IST

Intense Rivalry on the Field

London [UK], August 2: After an exhilarating day of Test cricket at The Oval during the fifth Test against England, Indian fast bowler Prasidh Krishna shared insights about his competitive exchange with English batsman Joe Root, describing it as a display of their mutual competitive spirit.

India faced a challenging start, being bowled out for 224 runs. England quickly asserted their dominance with a strong opening partnership of 92 runs between Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley. However, following Crawley's dismissal at 129 runs, Krishna and Mohammed Siraj sparked a batting collapse, leaving England at 215 runs with seven wickets down. A memorable moment occurred when Krishna exchanged intense looks with Root, prompting the usually composed batsman to show more emotion than typical, leading to a brief verbal exchange.

During the post-match press conference, Krishna remarked, "It was merely a competitive edge between us; we are good friends off the field. It was just some light-hearted banter, and we both enjoyed it."

He elaborated on his approach as a bowler, stating that engaging with the batsman is part of his strategy. "This is who I am. I felt good running in and bowling, and perhaps a wicket or two would have improved my performance," he noted.

Krishna admitted he was surprised to see Root react so animatedly during their exchange. "I have great respect for him; he is a legend in cricket. It’s fantastic when both players are striving to excel and win in the moment," he concluded.

In the match, India was put to bat first by England and was dismissed for 224 runs. Notable contributions came from Karun Nair, who scored 57 runs off 109 balls, and Washington Sundar, who added 26 runs off 55 balls, forming a crucial partnership for the seventh wicket. England's Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue were the standout bowlers, taking 5/33 and 3/57, respectively.

In England's first innings, Crawley scored 64 runs off 57 balls, while Duckett contributed 43 runs off 38 balls, leading to a 92-run partnership. After their dismissals, England faced a batting collapse, with Krishna taking 4 wickets for 62 runs and Siraj claiming 4 for 83. Harry Brook managed a half-century with 53 runs off 64 balls, but England was ultimately bowled out for 247, giving them a narrow 23-run lead.

At the close of play, India was at 75/2, with Jaiswal unbeaten on 51 and night-watchman Akash Deep on 4, leading by 52 runs.