NEW DELHI: India pacer Prasidh Krishna is set to be out of action for at least three weeks and could be touch and go for the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, beginning November 4.Prasidh sustained a left hamstring injury during the second ODI against the West Indies in Guwahati and subsequently missed the third match of the series in New Chandigarh. He bowled just five overs in the Guwahati ODI before leaving the field in the 31st over of the West Indies innings. He picked up one wicket in the match and has three wickets from the two ODIs he has played in the series.The 30-year-old is also doubtful for the opening round of the Ranji Trophy, which begins on October 11. Karnataka will open their campaign against Andhra Pradesh in Vijayawada.It is learnt that Prasidh has checked into the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in his hometown Bengaluru. He is expected to regain full fitness in around three weeks and could start bowling at full intensity in four weeks.His recovery timeline could make his availability for the New Zealand series a tricky proposition. Even if he returns to bowling by then, there is no guarantee that he will be ready to play from the start of the series. India could also be forced to manage their fast bowlers carefully, with Test-bound players expected to miss the last two ODIs against New Zealand.India captain Shubman Gill had admitted after the defeat in New Chandigarh that the absence of players due to injuries and scheduling issues had been frustrating.“I would say it’s been unfortunate, you know, with the injuries and with the scheduling with the other matches being around. It’s been a little bit unfortunate that we have not been able to play the bowling lineup that we would like to,” Gill told reporters.Gill is hopeful of having a full-strength squad available for the New Zealand ODIs, as India look to settle on their preferred combination ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.“I honestly think there is not that much time to experiment. The combination that we want to play, hopefully, we get all the players available from the next series. The combination that we would like to play in the World Cup, we want to start playing with that combination,” he said.Prasidh’s fitness is therefore a significant concern for India. He is expected to be an important part of the team’s plans for the New Zealand tour and the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. His injury adds to India’s growing list of concerns ahead of an important phase in their preparations.
