Sports

BCCI Clears Prasidh Krishna for New Zealand Tour

By Vijay Tagore

The BCCI’s Centre of Excellence has declared India pacer Prasidh Krishna fit to play after completing simulation tests at the Bengaluru facility over the last two days. The medical team has given him clearance, and he is expected to fly to New Zealand on the next available flight to be available for the third and final unofficial Test between India A and a New Zealand side that starts on November 7. Krishna is already out of the five‑match ODI series that began on Wednesday, November 4. He had been named in the squad for the first three ODIs of the New Zealand series, pending fitness clearance after a hamstring injury sustained in the second ODI against the West Indies in Guwahati on September 30. On October 30 the BCCI withdrew him from the ODI squad, stating he needed more time to build up his workload. The board said he would join the India A squad for the final four‑day game against New Zealand A, subject to a Return to Play assessment, to gain match practice before the Test series. After successfully completing the fitness formalities, Krishna is ready to travel to New Zealand. He had previously undergone a match simulation on October 22 but did not clear it, leading to his withdrawal from the ODI squad. Coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill consider him a key player for the two‑Test series, which is crucial for India’s qualification for the World Test Championship final. The first Test starts on November 19 and the second on November 27.