"A bowler who does not know his strengths" - Mohammad Kaif's blunt remark on Team India pacer ahead of IND vs SA 2025 3rd ODI

Former batter Mohammad Kaif made a blunt remark on Team India pacer Prasidh Krishna ahead of the third ODI against South Africa. With the series tied 1-1, the third match at Visakhapatnam on Saturday, December 6, will be the decider.

Mohammad Kaif called Prasidh Krishna a bowler who was not aware of his strengths. He reckoned that Prasidh lacked different skills and variations, just being a 'hit-the-deck' bowler. While he criticised the pacer, he also gave him the benefit of the doubt, given there was a lot of dew when India were bowling in the second ODI. However, this was where Kaif called for the need of having experienced pacers in the attack.

"Prasidh was expensive even in the Tests in England. He leaks runs. He is a bowler who does not know his strengths. He is not extremely skilled in any one area. His strength is to hit the deck, but he does not bowl slower ones. This is the only thing he knows. He did work a bit on the variations in the IPL. But international cricket is different. The ball was very wet, so maybe we can give him the benefit of the doubt. It is difficult to bowl with a wet bowl for inexperienced bowlers. Here is where you need experienced bowlers," he said on his YouTube channel.

India failed to defend a total of 358 and lost the second ODI. South Africa got over the line in 49.2 overs with four wickets to spare. Prasidh returned figures of 2/85 from 8.2 overs at an economy of 10.2.

---

Mohammad Kaif calls out the lack of experienced pacers

Mohammad Kaif reckoned that when the team is going through transition, there have to be some senior pacers to initially guide the less experienced lot. India rested Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj for the ODI series, while Mohammad Shami was ignored once again.

Mohammad Kaif called out the lack of experienced pacers and highlighted that the presence of senior fast bowlers to groom the younger lot was crucial.

"There is less experience in bowling. When this team was picked, I told this. No Bumrah, no Shami, no Siraj. If you want to transition, you have to keep some seniors with the juniors. There are no seniors at all. Prasidh, Arshdeep, Rana - how many games have all of these played? You need senior pacers to tell them things. You have picked a team with a lot of inexperienced pacers," he said.

While Bumrah is the only one actually 'resting', Siraj and Shami are currently playing for their respective sides in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025-26.