'Did not expect such big reaction from him': Prasidh on how he unsettled a usually composed Joe Root at The Oval

Indian pacer Prasidh Krishna enjoyed the back-and-forth he had with Joe Root on Day 2 of the fifth and final Test. Following the end of the day’s play, the pacer revealed that he took the onus to provoke the ire of England’s batting general.

Prasidh and Root indulged in a heated confrontation that required interventions from the umpires. The usually calm and composed Root lost his cool when Prasidh hurled something at him following a boundary in the 22nd over.

Prasidh Krishna on heated banter with Joe Root

Krishna’s words did not sit well with Root, who showcased his animated side to the Indian pacer. After the culmination of the day, Prasidh made it known that it was nothing but just a banter between the two “good mates” that comes within the confines of the game.

“Well, it was a very small thing. I think it was just a competitive edge among us that was coming out. Both of us are good mates off the field. It was just a little bit of a banter, and both of us enjoyed it,” said Prasidh in the post-day press conference.

The Karnataka pacer further stated that bringing out a reaction from Root was not an accident; rather the act was carried out with a purpose.

“That was also the plan. But I didn’t really expect a couple of words that I said to get such a big reaction from him. But like I said, I love the guy that he is. He’s a legend of the game.

“And for him to come out there, it’s great when two people are out there wanting to do their best,” said Praisdh who took a four-wicket haul alongside Mohammed Siraj to script India’s impressive comeback after the onslaught of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in the first session.

Prasidh further said that trading barbs with the opposition batter tends to get the best out of him.

“I try and enjoy bowling if it means that I have a bit of a chatter with the batsman. And it does help me when the batsman also is, I can get under the nerves and get a reaction from him. And I think I was just running in well,” said the lanky fast bowler.

Prasidh on how bowlers readjusted after morning beat-down

As India suffered a clobbering at the hands of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett in the morning session, the bowlers decided to brush aside the beating and worked on improving.

“As a team we knew what happened before lunch and the three fast bowlers, I think we got together in a small corner and decided, what’s happened has happened.

“And all of us know what we need to be doing and we just said, every time we are on the field, at the mark, we trust each other enough, go speak to each other, tell them if you’re not on the right track, and just make sure you’re bowling the right lines and take it from there.

“And as a team as well, we spoke about the same thing. Like, if the next three, two hours, if we can show some body language, I think it’s going to make a big difference and it made a big difference,” he said.

The 29-year-old stated that when the chips were against them, they concentrated on getting the basics right and reaped the results in the form of wickets.

“I think they are playing a lot of shots and as a bowling unit, it’s very hard for us to keep bowling the same areas, knowing they’re going to do all kinds of things and try to score runs. But that’s the challenge in itself.

“If you can still come there and know what your lengths and lines are and keep bowling the same good balls again and again, I think it’s a matter of time. And that’s the challenge, to be able to bowl the good lengths in spite of the aggressive intent of the batsman.”

India ended the day at 75/2 after 18 overs, taking a lead of 52 runs. Jaiswal and Akash Deep are currently in the middle. A topsy-turvy day for both teams has set the tone for a thrilling Day 3.