"I hope he proves me wrong" - Sunil Gavaskar says he is unsure whether Prasidh Krishna can bowl long spells heading into 1st IND vs SA Test

Sunil Gavaskar is unsure whether Prasidh Krishna can withstand the rigors of Test cricket heading into India's two-match series against South Africa.

The first game of the Freedom Series will commence in Centurion on Tuesday, December 26. With Mohammed Shami ruled out of the series, the Indian team management might have to choose between Krishna and Mukesh Kumar as their third specialist seamer.

During an interaction on the Star Sports show 'Follow the Blues', Gavaskar was asked to pick his preferred Indian seam attack. The former India skipper was slightly skeptical about Krishna's fitness for Test cricket, elaborating:

"I am not sure about Prasidh Krishna. He has come back from an injury. If he is required to bowl 15-20 overs in the day, I am not sure if he will be able to do that. I hope he proves me wrong because if anybody proves me wrong, that means India are doing well and if India are doing well, I am very happy."

Gavaskar expects Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj to share the new ball for the visitors. He said:

"I believe Bumrah and Siraj pick themselves because of the way they have bowled over the last year and a half with the white ball and the red ball. So my opening bowlers would be them."

Bumrah has picked up 26 wickets at an impressive average of 24.38 in the six Tests he has played in South Africa. Siraj accounted for only three dismissals at a below-par average of 51.00 in the two Tests he played in India's last tour of the Rainbow Nation.

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"My third pick would be Mukesh Kumar" - Sunil Gavaskar

Mukesh Kumar picked up only one wicket in the recent three-match ODI series against South Africa. [P/C: AP]

Sunil Gavaskar wants Mukesh Kumar to play ahead of Prasidh Krishna. He reasoned:

"Then depending on what you want you want and what kind of a surface you are looking at, my third pick would be Mukesh Kumar because he moves the ball and bowls good lines and lengths."

The cricketer-turned-commentator feels the Bengal seamer's vast first-class experience should hold him in good stead. He observed:

"He has got the experience of bowling long spells because he has played a lot of Ranji Trophy cricket. If you to bowl the entire day, you have to be ready to bowl at least 18 to 20 overs."

Mukesh picked up two wickets in the only Test he played against the West Indies earlier this year. The right-arm seamer has snared 151 wickets at an excellent average of 21.62 in 40 first-class matches.