Former Australia pacer Glenn McGrath has thrown his weight behind Prasidh Krishna, saying the Karnataka fast bowler has all the qualities needed to establish himself as Jasprit Bumrah's long-term pace partner in India's bowling attack.
With India gradually introducing a new generation of fast bowlers ahead of a packed international calendar, Prasidh has emerged as one of the leading contenders to shoulder greater responsibility across formats. McGrath, who serves as the director of coaching at the MRF
Pace Foundation, believes the right-arm seamer has made significant progress over the years and is now beginning to fulfil his immense potential.
The Australian legend highlighted Prasidh's height, pace, and ability to generate bounce, while also pointing out that the 29-year-old has become a much more complete bowler.
"I'm a big fan of Prasidh. If he gets his length right, he's got everything going for him," McGrath was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
McGrath added that Prasidh has developed into a mature pacer capable of troubling batters in all conditions.
"He has really matured. He's tall, bowls in good areas, generates bounce and has genuine pace. Occasionally he's a little short, but apart from that, I think he's the whole package. He's really developed and put his potential into performance," he said.
India have handed opportunities to several young fast bowlers during their recent tours of England and Zimbabwe as they begin planning for the upcoming ODI and T20 World Cups in South Africa and Australia-New Zealand, respectively.
While the transition is underway, McGrath admitted replacing an experienced pace attack will not be straightforward. He also drew parallels with Australia's own situation, where the next generation of fast bowlers is waiting behind an established trio.
"You've got Bumrah, who's a class bowler, and Mohammed Shami, who's world-class as well. Mohammed Siraj has been around for a long time too. You can't just expect to pick up straight where you left off. It's always going to be a transitional period," he said, referring to the Australian team, which will also go through a similar phase.
"Other than Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, hardly anybody gets a chance... So it's not going to be easy for Australia either," he continued.
McGrath also spoke about Bumrah's unique bowling action, suggesting that India's premier fast bowler will need to manage his workload carefully to stay fit over a long period.
"The way he powers through those last few steps probably puts more stress on his body than most bowlers. It'll be interesting to see how he manages himself," McGrath said.
Jasprit Bumrah recently made his comeback into the Indian ODI set-up after a long break from the format, as the Indian team is gearing up for the ODI World Cup 2027.
