‘If he hits the right length’: Glenn McGrath backs one Indian pacer as Jasprit Bumrah’s long-term partner

India’s Prasidh Krishna celebrates with his teammates (ANI Photo) Chennai: As India await the arrival of a new generation of fast bowlers, Australian great Glenn McGrath believes Prasidh Krishna has all the ingredients to become Jasprit Bumrah’s long-term partner. The legendary fast bowler, who is the director of coaching at the MRF Pace Foundation, has been closely following Prasidha’s rise and feels the Karnataka tall has turned his potential into performances. “I’m a big fan of Prasidh,” McGrath said. “If he’s the right length, he can do anything. “He’s really matured. He’s tall, mixes in good sets, generates rebound and has real pace. He’s a bit small at times, but other than that I think he’s the whole package. He’s really developed and put his potential into action,” he said. India gave a chance to several young players during the recent tours of Great Britain and Zimbabwe as they prepare for a tough cycle of white-ball cricket where the ODI and T20 World Cups will be played in South Africa and Australia and New Zealand. It means India will need a strong attack firing on all cylinders and McGrath believes the transition phase they are going through will not be easy. “You have Bumrah, who is a class bowler, and Mohammed Shami, who is also world-class. Mohammed Siraj has also been around for a long time. You can’t just expect to pick up where you left off. It will always be a transitional period,” he said, referring to the Australian team also going through a similar phase. “Apart from Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, not many will get a chance… So it won’t be easy for Australia either.” McGrath also pointed out that Bumrah’s unconventional action requires careful workload management. “The way he handles those last few steps probably puts more stress on his body than most pitchers. It will be interesting to see how he handles himself,” McGrath said. While India appear to be keen on fast younger bowlers, McGrath insisted that experienced pacers still play an important role. “It’s always good to have experience there. Young bowlers learn by playing alongside older guys. I’ve been lucky enough to watch Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes. That’s where you really learn. I’d always prefer an experienced team over a potential team,” he said. On whether veterans like Shami or Bhuvneshwar Kumar can still make a comeback, McGrath said the decision depends on their bodies, motivation and the selectors. “If they’re ready to put in the work and their bodies allow it, then why not? As fast bowlers get older, the job just gets harder. Ultimately, it’s up to them and the selectors.” McGrath also called for a rethink of the way fast bowlers are rehabilitated after injuries, arguing that modern systems often “wrap bowlers in cotton wool” instead of strengthening them physically.

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Share an opinion “The best way is to get stronger. Even if you’re injured, you should continue to work on the parts of your body that you can train. Instead of protecting pitchers, we should make them unbreakable,” he said.