"Things were going slow at that time and I was getting a tad frustrated" - Prasidh Krishna on his lengthy layoff due to a stress fracture 

Team India pacer Prasidh Krishna is close to returning to competitive cricket after being selected for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland. The Karnataka-born player last represented India during the tour of Zimbabwe in August 2022. He was recently seen in the ongoing Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) T20 Super League tournament.

Krishna looks in good rhythm ahead of his comeback after claiming figures of 4-36 for the Mount Joy Cricket Club on Monday. He missed out on Team India's home season as well as the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a lumbar stress fracture, for which he underwent surgery.

He was at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for his recovery regime and was recently declared fit by the coaches, paving the way for his comeback in national colors.

The pacer admitted that the spell off the field was a testing phase.

“I would say coming back to cri­cket itself is a variation for me. In the initial phases after the injury, I wasn’t too worried as it was a part and parcel of a fast bowler’s life. But then, things were going slow at that time and I was getting a tad frustrated, though my family and friends gave me a lot of support which helped me relax," he told The Telegraph.

“Once I realized that the surgery was going to happen, I made up my mind to not look too far ahead and just focus on getting back to doing the basics. I stayed patient and the rest followed. It’s good to be back in the fray," Krishna added.

At the time of his injury, Krishna was on the cusp of being a constant presence in the ODI setup. He was part of Team India's tours of England and West Indies in 2022, claiming 25 wickets in 14 ODIs so far.

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"I was quite sure about the decision to go for surgery" - Prasidh Krishna

With injuries of various degrees being a common sight in the sport today, primarily due to the workload, the path to recovery also becomes very important. Some players choose to have surgery, while others hold it off due to the extensive rehabilitation procedure that follows.

A number of Indian players in recent times have opted for surgery which includes Rajat Patidar, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shreyas Iyer. Prasidh Krishna followed the same route and believes that he made the right choice.

“I was quite sure about the decision to go for surgery. That was the right step. That was followed by hard running sessions and my workload (including strength training and skills alongside running) was gradually incre­ased. Then when I finally sta­rted bowling, I felt nice. The entire program was very well planned by my team at the NCA," he insisted.

The three-match T20I series against Ireland is scheduled to begin on August 18. Apart from Krishna, the Indian squad also features Jasprit Bumrah, who will lead the side as well.