"As Fast Bowlers, You Sign Up For Injuries…": India Star Reveals Harsh Reality
The Indian cricket team for the Ireland series had to accept two young players: Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna.
Both were suffering from injuries. Krishna believes that injuries are a part of the fast bowler's career, with the BCCI announcing that he will return to on-field action for the Indian team soon after suffering a spine injury in August.
Krishna, who was one of India's contenders for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, fell down the pecking order after sustaining successive injuries.
Since August 2022, the 27-year-old's International career has been marred by a string of ailments. Krishna has not played competitive cricket since missing India's ODI tour to Zimbabwe in August due to a lumbar spine ailment.
Pace bowlers are more prone to injury than any other type of cricketer; England's Mark Wood is another example, having missed a significant amount of on-field activity due to a lack of fitness and reoccurring injuries.
Krishna believes that when a player decides to pursue a career as a fast bowler, injuries are unavoidable.
"I'm not the type of person who gets thrilled or nervous about anything. I approach it with caution. As fast bowlers, you sign up for injuries, you sign up for long days, you sign up for hard effort… it's all part of the game. It's difficult when everyone is playing a lot of cricket.
"There's so much going on and you're sitting at home not really being available for selection," Krishna told ESPNcricinfo.
Krishna went on to explain his perspective during the recuperation process and how it changed over time.
"Of course, I was a little agitated in the initial phase before the surgery, wondering why it was taking so long, especially since I'd started bowling." There were days when I felt wonderful and thought, 'Oh, I'm ready to play,' but after two more sessions, I realised I needed a lot more of these at the same intensity to train the body.
If I have to compete at the highest level, my intensity will be high. I knew it would take time once the procedure was completed. I altered my perspective on things. I took each day as it came. I was loving my training and spending time with my family. Wonderful things occurred. "I was very upbeat and optimistic," Krishna continued.
Krishna was named to India A's white-ball squad to face New Zealand A in September 2022. However, he was injured shortly after being named to the series. A stress fracture was discovered during additional investigation of the bowler's injury.
He missed the Indian Premier League 2023 campaign with Rajasthan Royals due to a stress fracture, which further harmed his chances of competing in the forthcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.
India is yet to declare their roster for the 2017 World Cup, which is set to begin in the country on October 5.