Prasidh Krishna's participation in the ODI series against New Zealand is looking increasingly uncertain. The 30-year-old fast bowler was conditionally selected for three of the five matches in the series, which gets underway on November 4, but he has not yet received clearance from the Centre of Excellence (CoE).
Prasidh is scheduled to undergo match simulations on November 1 and 2, which puts his availability for the first ODI in Auckland in serious doubt. The second and third ODIs are scheduled for November 7 and November 10 respectively, but whether the team management and selectors will risk fielding him in either of those matches remains uncertain and is also subject to CoE clearance.
The BCCI's squad announcement dated October 16 carried an asterisk against Prasidh's name for the first three ODIs, with his inclusion stated as 'subject to fitness clearance'. He was not named in the squad for the final two ODIs, from which several red-ball specialists, including captain Shubman Gill, were also left out.
Prasidh suffered a hamstring injury on September 30 during the second ODI against the West Indies and has been at the CoE since that point. He underwent an initial match simulation on October 22, and the fact that further tests are now planned on November 1 and 2 suggests that the earlier assessment did not produce the results required for clearance.
What does the CoE assessment say about Prasidh's recovery?
Despite satisfactory clinical progress, Prasidh has reportedly experienced some apprehension, and his recovery and response are continuing to be monitored by the CoE medical team. Sources indicate that the overall assessment at the CoE has not been entirely discouraging, though the situation remains closely watched.
"Gradual Workload Increase: Skill-specific loading will be increased progressively, with continued clinical monitoring," The CoE report, as quoted by Cricbuzz, stated.
"Immediate Priority: The focus is on gradually achieving the required bowling workload ahead of the upcoming Test series against New Zealand," the report added.
The language of both statements makes clear that the CoE's primary concern is building Prasidh's bowling load in a controlled manner, with the Test series against New Zealand serving as the principal target for his return to full fitness.
Will Prasidh Krishna be available for the New Zealand Tests?
Head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill are understood to be keen on having Prasidh available for the two-Test series, in which India face a critical situation regarding their qualification for the World Test Championship final. Given the significance of those matches, the team management may also choose not to risk him in the remaining ODIs even if he receives partial clearance.
There is no fitness asterisk against Prasidh's name in the Test squad, which indicates that the team management expects him to be fit for the five-day format. The first Test is scheduled to begin on November 19 in Wellington, with the second starting on November 27 in Christchurch.
If he is cleared in time, Prasidh could feature in the third unofficial Test between India A and a New Zealand side, which runs from November 6 to 9, as a preparatory step before the main series. Whether the simulations on November 1 and 2 yield the required results will determine the course of his involvement across both formats of the tour.
Prasidh has appeared in only nine Tests to date but has established himself as a dependable bowler across both red-ball and white-ball cricket. His availability for the New Zealand Tests is expected to become clearer within the next few days following the outcome of the upcoming simulation sessions at the CoE.
