India Vs England, 2nd Test: Prasidh Krishna Claims Unwanted Record – Check Here

Prasidh Krishna found himself at the centre of a forgettable passage of play on Day 3 of the second Test at Edgbaston, as England’s Jamie Smith launched a ferocious assault that shifted momentum towards the hosts.

The India pacer, who had already struggled for consistency throughout the series, was taken apart in brutal fashion during the 32nd over of England’s first innings. Smith hammered Prasidh for 23 runs in that over alone, slamming four boundaries and a towering six, leaving the bowler visibly rattled and India searching for answers.

Follow India Vs England Live Cricket Score, 2nd Test Day 3

While Mohammed Siraj had given India a dream start to the day, removing Joe Root and Ben Stokes in successive balls, Prasidh’s struggles undid much of that early advantage.

His lines and lengths were all over the place — the short-ball ploy he resorted to after just two overs was poorly executed, with most bouncers sitting up around chest height rather than threatening the batters’ heads. Smith and Harry Brook capitalised, feasting on the loose deliveries and pushing England past 200 in quick time.

An Unwanted Record

The 29-year-old Prasidh’s woes at Edgbaston reflect a larger trend. After that expensive 23-run over, he persisted with the short-ball tactic but lacked the precision needed to trouble batters at this level. His five-over spell before lunch cost India 50 runs, far from the control expected of a third seamer in a Test attack.

Worse still, the numbers tell a stark story. With 518 runs conceded from 588 deliveries in his Test career, Prasidh now holds the record for the worst economy rate (minimum 500 balls) in the history of Test cricket — leaking runs at 5.28 per over. The previous record-holder, Bangladesh’s Shahadat Hossain, had an economy of 4.16 across 38 Tests.

In this series alone, Prasidh’s economy has soared to 6.53, well ahead of Shardul Thakur’s 5.56 — despite bowling 27 more overs than Thakur.