The Indian cricket team is currently badly troubled by injured players. The team was trying to recover from the injuries of wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, and fast bowlers Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh, when now the news is coming that Nitish Kumar Reddy may also be out of the playing XI. This all-rounder from Andhra Pradesh has scored 45 runs and taken three wickets in two Tests so far in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, which has been an average performance.
But at Lord’s, he finally performed in such a way that it seemed that he could make a big impact. The Indian team, which is trailing 2-1 in the series, may now have to make more changes. Options are being considered in place of Nitish in Manchester.
‘Serious’ challenge in front of the Indian team
The Indian team now faces a big challenge of choosing a new player in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy. Some of the possible options are as follows:
1. Shardul Thakur
The first option is to replace Nitish with Shardul Thakur, who is being considered a ‘like-for-like’ replacement. However, he did not perform well with the bat in the first Test played at Headingley and was not trusted with the ball either. In such a situation, giving Shardul a chance could be a gamble for the team.
2. Anshul Kamboz
Anshul Kamboz, who has been called in as a cover for the team, can also be given a chance. He has performed as one of India’s best domestic fast bowlers last year and has also shown that he can bat by scoring a half-century for India A against England Lions. Anshul can be a refreshing option and can give new energy to the team.
3. Nitish Kumar Reddy’s ‘Lord’s’ performance
In the Lord’s Test, Nitish Kumar Reddy showed his ability by taking two wickets in the same over. This performance shows that he can perform well even under pressure. But, still, his injury remains a matter of concern for the team.
Who will take the responsibility
Akash Deep is also not fit yet, and he, too, may be out. In such a situation, India may have to include both Anshul and Prasidh Krishna. The combination of Anshul and Shardul may be a bit weak in bowling, especially when it comes to the depth of the fast bowling attack. The third option is to replace Nitish Reddy with Dhruv Jurel and Akash Deep with Kamboj.
India’s batting was struggling at Lord’s, and Jurel will strengthen it. By doing this, the bowling attack will include Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kamboj (on debut), Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar. This combination will strengthen the batting and will also try out new options in bowling.