IND vs ENG Tests: India ought to stick with Nitish Kumar Reddy, keep away from temptation to cut and alter, says Anil Kumble

Reddy, enjoying his second recreation within the ongoing tour of England, was probably the most profitable Indian bowler, choosing up two wickets, on the opening day of the third Test in London on Thursday (.July 10, 2025)

“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,” Kumble stated of the seven-Test-old participant on JioStar’s ‘Match Centre Live’.

“I believed he did fairly nicely in Australia — acquired 100 with the bat and bowled decently even when he did not take many wickets. What you want from somebody like him is to interrupt partnerships and provides the quick bowlers a breather whereas nonetheless sustaining management.

“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,” added the leg-spin nice.

Kumble stated the Lord’s pitch was evidently robust for the batters as England had been compelled to desert their aggressive model for a extra reserved method which yielded 251/4 on the opening day.

“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 stated.

“I believed the Indian bowlers bowled actually good areas persistently and that is one of many causes India managed to limit England to 251. England might be pretty glad with simply 4 wickets down.

“India will probably reflect tonight and feel that one or two more wickets could have put the match firmly in their favour. As it stands, it’s evenly poised,” he added Former England participant Jonathan Trott additionally famous the house workforce’s change in technique.

“It was an attention-grabbing day, beginning proper from the toss. England took a unique method in comparison with the primary two Tests. I believed Ollie Pope (44) got here out in typical ‘Bazball’ model — attacking early — however rapidly realised that this wasn’t that type of pitch. Credit to him for adjusting his recreation.

“We also saw Joe Root look fluent — a beautiful cover drive and a clip through mid-wicket off Siraj stood out. Once he got going, it felt like he’d bat deep. I thought England might go after Jadeja in the final over of the day, but sense prevailed,” he stated.