Former India captain Anil Kumble has endorsed all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy for a permanent spot in India’s Test cricket team, citing his performance in the ongoing England tour where he claimed two wickets on the opening day of the third Test at Lord’s on Thursday.Reddy, in his second match of the England tour, emerged as India’s most successful bowler of the day.“I was surprised at how well Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled. He consistently hit the right areas. That short ball down leg side was a gift, but otherwise, he was disciplined,” Kumble shared on JioStar’s ‘Match Centre Live’.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“I thought he did quite well in Australia – got a hundred with the bat and bowled decently even if he didn’t take many wickets. What you need from someone like him is to break partnerships and give the fast bowlers a breather while still maintaining control. He bowled nearly 14 overs in a spell – that shows fitness and control. He’s young, he’s a capable batter with a century under his belt, and he’s a sharp fielder. India should persist with him and avoid the temptation to chop and change,” Kumble added.The Lord’s pitch proved challenging for batters as England modified their typically aggressive approach, ending the day at 251/4.
“It was evident right from the start that it was going to be a grind for the batters. The openers struggled to score off the new ball, and this was the kind of pitch where you had to work hard for your runs,” Kumble observed.“I thought the Indian bowlers bowled really good areas consistently and that’s one of the reasons India managed to restrict England to 251. England will be fairly satisfied with just four wickets down. India will probably reflect tonight and feel that one or two more wickets could have put the match firmly in their favour. As it stands, it’s evenly poised,” he explained.
Former England player Jonathan Trott noted the shift in England’s batting strategy during the day.“It was an interesting day, starting right from the toss. England took a different approach compared to the first two Tests. I thought Ollie Pope (44) came out in typical ‘Bazball’ style — attacking early — but quickly realised that this wasn’t that kind of pitch. Credit to him for adjusting his game. We also saw Joe Root look fluent — a beautiful cover drive and a clip through mid-wicket off Siraj stood out. Once he got going, it felt like he’d bat deep. I thought England might go after Jadeja in the final over of the day, but sense prevailed,” Trott commented.
