"I wouldn't say is a very talented bowler" - Bharat Arun takes dig on Team India pacer after ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun has made a bold statement about pacer Prasidh Krishna, saying he doesn’t consider him a naturally talented bowler. The ex-Kolkata Knight Riders mentor pointed out that Krishna’s inconsistent lengths during the England tour could have been rectified earlier, particularly after his struggles in the series opener at Leeds. However, the Karnataka speedster showed improvement in the second Test at Edgbaston, where he managed to find better rhythm.

Arun also highlighted India’s challenge of having an excess of bowling options, which, he felt, created selection dilemmas and impacted players’ confidence. Krishna, who was dropped for the third and fourth Tests, returned to the side for the 5th Test which was played at The Oval. Krishna seized that opportunity to bowl brilliantly, claiming match figures of 8/188 and doing a crucial job in helping India to a dramatic victory of just 6 runs over England.

See Also: BCCI is expected to announce full squad for ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025

“Let's take Prasidh as an example. In the first Test against England, everybody felt that he bowled too short, and those were not the lengths to be bowled. In the next Test in the second innings, he made the adjustment. He came back to bowling good lengths, the right lengths in England, and when he realised that he was dropped from the next match. In all fairness, I can understand he was dropped because Bumrah came in the next game. When Anshul Kamboj flies from India, and when you already have somebody who has played two Test matches, who is in England with the team, and who is capable of bowling 140 clicks, there was enough time for you to work on him and get his lengths right in England. Prasidh Krishna was, I wouldn’t say, he is a very talented bowler. Somebody who can bowl 140 clicks consistently is a talent. The choice of length was wrong, which could have been worked on," Bharat Arun said.

The biggest problem is the problem of too many in our country: Bharat Arun

Bharat Arun believes that the intense competition in Indian cricket often causes fast bowlers to lose focus, prioritising results over the process. He explained that the pressure to perform can affect a bowler’s mindset, leading to desperation when outcomes don’t go their way. Arun, who had two stints as India’s bowling coach—first from 2014 to 2016 and then from 2017 to 2021, played a pivotal role in transforming India’s pace attack. Under his guidance, the fast-bowling unit reached new heights, consistently challenging top teams both at home and overseas.

"The biggest problem is the problem of too many in our country, whereas in countries such as Australia and New Zealand, there are fewer cricketers who play the sport. So when you identify someone, you are given all the patience, you are given all the backing, so that they flower and blossom into a good player. But in India, we expect them to be ready-made.Somebody else is also waiting. The minute you fail, it works on their mind. When the next match more than focusing on the process their focus is more on the outcome. When the focus is on the outcome, you tend to get desperate," he added