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Prasidh Krishna has revealed what he told Joe Root that led to their fiery on-field spat.
Snippets from Prasidh Krishna and Joe Root’s argument. (PC: X/Screengrab)
Indian fast-bowler Prasidh Krishna has revealed he told England’s Joe Root that he was ‘looking in great shape’ during the fifth Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, which led to ‘a lot of abuse’ and an ugly on-field spat between the two. Prasidh was slammed on social media for riling up someone with as clean an image as Root, but according to the Karnataka man, even he didn’t expect ‘such a big reaction’.
The incident happened soon after Root came to the crease in the second innings of the Test. His face turned red after the conversation, and he hit a few boundaries against Prasidh, who responded with a couple of bouncers in anger. Umpire Kumar Dharmasena didn’t take long to involve himself in it, following Prasidh like a hawk from thereon. He was heard having chats with KL Rahul and captain Shubman Gill, who didn’t seem pleased with being asked to control the verbal attacks.
“I don’t know why Rooty [reacted],” Prasidh told the BBC’s Test Match Special. “I just said, ‘You’re looking in great shape,’ and then it turned into a lot of abuse and all of that.
Later, at the press conference, Prasidh was asked if the plan was to distract the Englishman.
“That was the plan, but I didn’t expect the couple of words I said to get such a big reaction from him,” Prasidh said.
Prasidh also conceded that Root was a legend of the game.
“That’s just who I am when I’m bowling, when I’m enjoying. If it means that I have a bit of a chatter with the batter… and it does help me when I can get under the nerves of the batsman and get a reaction from them. But I love the guy that he is. He is a legend of the game and I think it is great when two people are out there wanting to do the best and be a winner at a given moment,” he added.
Eventually, Root got out LBW to Mohammed Siraj. England folded for 247, only 23 runs ahead of the visitors, and the third essay yielded 75/2 led by Yashasvi Jaiswal’s fifty before Stumps.
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