New Delhi, June 20 (IANS) Batting great Sunil Gavaskar believes fast bowler Prasidh Krishna may have reached a turning point in his international career after producing a match-winning spell to guide India to a nine-wicket, series-sweeping victory over Afghanistan in the third ODI at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Prasidh registered his maiden ODI five-wicket haul with outstanding figures of 5-23 in nine overs, ripping through Afghanistan’s top order and reducing them to 36/4. His efforts laid the foundation for India’s comfortable win before Yashasvi Jaiswal’s unbeaten 110 and Rohit Sharma’s 79 helped the hosts chase down 219 with ease.

“That is the beauty of Indian cricket, there are always replacements ready, and I think Prasidh Krishna could be at a turning point in his career. He has been in and out of the side, and he went wicketless in the first ODI and didn’t play the second game either,” Gavaskar told Jio Hotstar.

“In the third ODI, he bowled fuller lengths and made the ball work. He got the new ball, which is rare for him. In this game, with the new ball in hand, he used it well. He read the pitch well; there was carry and a bit of zip. That is what you need to do as a fast bowler.”

The former India captain said Prasidh’s attacking mindset was evident throughout his opening spell, which dismantled Afghanistan’s top order. “In his heart, he is an attacking bowler. Fast bowlers love to make batters uncomfortable, make them hop and weave. That is where they get their joy. Earlier, he was bowling too short and getting punished. But now he is pitching it up, getting movement, and taking wickets. That is the change that has made the difference,” he added.

Afghanistan recovered through captain Hashmatullah Shahidi’s gritty 102 and Azmatullah Omarzai’s 50 after the early collapse, but Prasidh returned later in the innings to remove Shahidi and complete his five-for. The visitors were eventually bowled out for 218 in 44.2 overs.

India then made light work of the chase as Jaiswal struck his second ODI century in just three innings and shared a 170-run opening stand with Rohit, helping the hosts seal a comprehensive victory and their first ODI series triumph under captain Shubman Gill.

–IANS

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