Arundhati Reddy’s preparations for her maiden ODI World Cup have hit an awkward bump. The India all-rounder was struck on the left knee by a firm straight-drive from Heather Knight during Thursday’s practice match at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, just five days before the tournament opener.
Play halted immediately. Reddy stayed down for a good minute, the India physio and a couple of team-mates jogging in. She tried putting weight on the joint, grimaced, and was eventually wheeled from the field. “We’ll know more once the swelling settles,” team doctor Dr Priya Verma said. “The initial signs are not alarming, but we won’t rush her.”
The incident came two balls after Reddy had trapped Amy Jones lbw for 39, ending an enterprising 46-ball stay. Until then Reddy looked sharp, into her fifth over and regularly touching the mid-120s kph — quick enough to hurry most openers.
Knight, meanwhile, was playing her first competitive innings since a hamstring strain in May. “Honestly, I didn’t even see where the ball went straight after contact,” the England captain admitted. “You never want to injure a fellow pro. Fingers crossed she’s fine.”
Reddy’s injury record is patchy. Stress fractures in 2022 and a side strain last winter cost her lengthy spells. Even so, two lively WPL seasons for Delhi Capitals pushed her into India’s ODI set-up last year, and she has 15 wickets from 11 matches, including 4 for 26 in Australia last December.
India named four frontline quicks for this World Cup; Reddy is the only seam-bowling all-rounder among them. Stand-by pacer Sayali Satghare, fresh from a 3-for-45 haul for India A against New Zealand earlier in the day, would be the obvious replacement if required. Head coach Amol Muzumdar kept things calm: “We’ve planned for contingencies. If Aru needs a breather, someone else will step up — that’s international cricket.”
For now, India wait on scan results and hope the wheelchair was precaution rather than portent.
