Nitish Reddy for India in Test cricket (Source: AP Photos)
India are up against England in the third Test of the five-match series. The match is turning out to be quite interesting, with both teams exchanging blows, and for India, it was Nitish Reddy who picked up two early wickets.
The all-rounder was under immense pressure coming into this Test after his poor performance with both bat and ball at Edgbaston. However, he has proved his utility as a bowler at Lord's, and it has helped him gain some applause from cricket pundits.
Indian Legend Praises Nitish Kumar Reddy's Bowling Antics At Lord's
Anil Kumble is one of the former cricketers who praised the youngster during his interaction on JioHotstar. The former leggie stated that he was surprised by he way Nitish Reddy bowled on Day 1 of the Test as he hit the right areas consistently and was quite disciplined.
"I was surprised at how well Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled. He consistently hit the right areas. That short ball down the leg side was a gift, but otherwise, he was disciplined. His delivery to Zak Crawley was a beauty. Sometimes, when you're out of form, things don't go your way — and Crawley found that out. Dhruv Jurel's catch was outstanding," as quoted by NDTV.
Kumble cited Nitish Reddy's performance in Australia, where he hit a century and bowled decently as well. He added that India need Reddy to break partnerships and bowl with control to allow some rest for premier pacers.
“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."
Nitish Reddy Shows His Fitness With Long Bowling Spells
Kumble also advised the Indian team management to back Nitish Reddy and praised the youngster's fitness as he bowled nearly 14 overs on the opening day. It is quite a lot for a batting all-rounder to deliver in the single day of a Test match and it speaks a lot about how well Nitish Reddy bowled on Day 1 of the Lord's Test.
The Indian legend praised Nitish Reddy's batting as well and wants the team management to keep stability in their team selection.
"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."
Thus, Anil Kumble has put his weight behind Nitish Reddy as a long-term option for India. Over the years, India have struggled to find a quality seam-bowling all-rounder, and Reddy is currently one of the options who can fill that gap.
