India’s tour of England has lost another seam-bowling all-rounder. Nitish Kumar Reddy, who impressed in only his second Test at Lord’s, is expected to miss the rest of the series after damaging knee ligaments during a routine gym session on Sunday.
Scans on Monday confirmed the injury and, barring a minor miracle, he will not be fit in time for the fourth Test at Old Trafford on 23 July or the finale at The Oval. One member of the support staff put it bluntly: “The medical team don’t want to rush him.”
Sanjay Manjrekar, watching the series from the commentary box, had been taken with the youngster’s uncomplicated action. “Reddy looked like India’s best seamer,” he said after that burst at Lord’s when the 21-year-old removed both England openers in the space of four deliveries.
His absence leaves India’s fast-bowling stocks looking thin. Akash Deep (side strain) and Arshdeep Singh (bruised heel) are also doubtful for Manchester, prompting selectors to draft uncapped quick Anshul Kamboj into the squad.
Then there is the ever-delicate Jasprit Bumrah situation. India originally planned to rest their spearhead for two of the five Tests; he sat out Headingley, returned for Birmingham and now, with an eight-day gap before Old Trafford, the management are “leaning towards” unleashing him again. It feels like a calculated gamble rather than a certainty.
Reddy’s Test career is barely three matches old, yet he had already become part of the balance puzzle. After watching Shardul Thakur leak runs in Leeds, the selectors plumped for Reddy’s extra pace and lower-order hitting. The returns were mixed. In Birmingham he scored two runs and bowled six wicketless overs; at Lord’s he chipped in with 30 useful runs and three top-order wickets, including two in his first over, swinging the new ball from a full length.
Without him, India have decisions to make. They can recall Thakur, stick with four bowlers and trust the top six, or hand a debut to Kamboj. Another moving part is Rishabh Pant’s bruised finger. If the wicketkeeper is forced to play as a specialist batter, Dhruv Jurel could come in behind the stumps, further narrowing the avenues for all-rounders.
England, 2-1 up, will scarcely mind their opponents’ headaches. Ben Stokes’ side have already exposed India’s depth once this series and would welcome another opportunity. Yet, as this tour keeps reminding us, plans shift quickly. A week remains before the teams reach Manchester; that is enough time for Bumrah to prove his fitness, or for another body to break down.
Either way, Reddy’s unfortunate slip in the gym has trimmed India’s options just when the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is on the line.
