Getting time on the field is really important: Prasidh Krishna on intra-squad game

India pacer Prasidh Krishna described the opening day of the ongoing intra-squad four-day match held behind closed doors at the Kent County Cricket Ground as a valuable opportunity for the players to get some much-needed game time ahead of the five-match Test series against England, which begins on June 20.

This marks the first occasion since the full Indian squad’s arrival in England that the team has had the chance to play together. Earlier, several squad members, including Karun Nair, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, and KL Rahul (for the second game only), featured in the two unofficial Tests against England Lions.

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“It’s really important for all of us to get this game time… because some of them are coming from the ‘A’ game. Getting time on the field is really important. That’s what happened today as well,” Prasidh told bcci.tv.

Speaking about the conditions, Prasidh said the surface offered a good balance between bat and ball. “Looks like a good, nice, hard pitch. Bowlers have been in the game throughout, bowling some really good spells. Batsmen also showed character. It’s always good when you are competing against each other.”

He added that the squad was enjoying the time together after regrouping in England. “All of us are excited and enjoying what’s happening. We are all getting together after a while, sharing memories and cricket experiences from different teams. We just try to keep the environment light.”

Looking ahead to the Test series, Prasidh highlighted the importance of mental readiness in the longer format. “(You have to) make sure you are focused when your chance is coming. But you can’t really be focused for a long time, especially when you are sitting outside, so you make sure you have a bit of fun,” he said.

“When you know, you can sense the situation; you make sure you support your team at particular moments, making sure you are switched on because anything can happen in the game—that’s the beauty of cricket itself. I think all of us are experienced enough to know when to switch on and switch off.”

According to a BCCI update on social media, captain Shubman Gill and senior wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul both notched up half-centuries, while Shardul Thakur made an impact with the ball on Day 1.