"It felt special to get that first cap": Prasidh Krishna on his international debut in 2021
Nov 25, 2023
New Delhi [India], November 25 : Indian pacer Prasidh Krishna has revealed it was special to receive his first Indian international cap and said it is everybody's dream.
In a conversation on JioCinema's daily show 'AAKASHVANI', Prasidh recalled his initial days in the sport, his first coach, his first pair of bowling spikes and the first autograph he signed when playing for his school team.
On his international debut back in 2021, Prasidh said it was quite special.
"It was COVID-19 time and I was picked in the team. I was quarantined for seven days or 14 days. I do not remember clearly. I spent all those days waiting to wear the India colours because it is everybody's dream to be wearing them. Then I was told that I would play," he said.
"We were on the list and KL (Rahul) asked me how I felt. I showed no emotion and he pointed this out to me! He asked me: 'Are you already thinking that this is where you belong?' I said yeah and that is what it felt like. It felt special to get that first cap and I was telling myself that this is just the start of things to come."
Since his debut, Prasidh has played 17 ODIs in which has taken 29 wickets and three T20Is in which he has taken five wickets.
Talking about what he did with the money he earned for the first time through cricket, Prasidh said that he got himself cricket shoes with the money.
"I think it was my first pair of cricket spikes. When I ended up getting selected for the state team, I did not have a pair of spikes, so my dad bought me a pair. The next year, I bought a pair of Nike spikes from the match fees I had earned," he said.
The pacer credited Shrinivas Murthy, his first cricket coach, for correcting his running technique.
"He was my school coach. I remember the days when I literally did not know how to run. He corrected my running technique. He taught me how to take the first steps of cricket. So, it is really memorable."
Prasidh revealed that his first cricket jersey was the jersey of his state team Karnataka.
"It has to be the Karnataka jersey. I always looked at people getting into selections wearing the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) logo. It meant a lot to me when I got picked for the U-14 state team. I still have the jersey with me," said the bowler.
Prasidh said his first interview was on the first day of his first-class debut when he got five wickets.
"I had no clue about what an interview would feel like. I was taken up the stairs. There was a large gathering of the press and I was asked questions and it felt great," he said.
Talking about his first autograph he signed, the pacer said that it involved his close friend and came when he was still playing school-level cricket.
"It was a funny moment because it involved one of my close friends. I just started playing cricket in school and she came up to me and said, 'Look Prasidh, I do not know how big a cricketer you are going to become, but when you become someone big, I will remember, and I will show people your autograph'. I met her recently and she told me I still have the autograph," he said.
