India should persist with Nitish Reddy and avoid temptation to chop and change: Anil Kumble

Former Indian head coach and commentator Anil Kumble has opened up on the Indian all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy’s heroics with the ball on the opening day of the Lord’s Test in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

While other Indian pacers couldn’t create an impact in the initial overs on Day 1, Reddy scalped the wickets of the opening batters Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in his first over of the game, stunning the opposition. 

Speaking on Reddy’s heroics, Kumble stated that the all-rounder needs to work on breaking the partnerships and give his seam bowlers a bit of rest in the middle overs, adding that he needs to maintain his lines and lengths. 

“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. 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,” Kumble said on JioStar’s ‘Match Centre Live’.

“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,” he added.

Furthermore, Kumble also asserted that the Lord’s surface looked tough enough for batters as they were forced not to play aggressively, as England got bundled out for 387 runs in 112.3 overs with India trailing by 242 runs on Day 2, stumps.

“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 said.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at Sky365 and download the Sky365 App to start betting today!