IND vs ENG: India to Drop a Batter for All-Round Firepower? Nitish Reddy Likely to Play 2nd Test
India eye changes for Edgbaston Test; Nitish Reddy likely to replace Nair or Sudharsan for better balance
After a heavy loss in the Headingley Test, India are looking to make a strong comeback in the second Test of the five-match series against England.
Despite good knocks from Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant, the team failed to defend a big target in the fourth innings.
The second Test will be played at Edgbaston from July 2, and Team India are expected to make a few changes to their playing XI.
Nitish Reddy Likely to Replace One Specialist Batter
India went with two specialist batters, Karun Nair and B Sai Sudharsan, in the first Test. However, both failed to leave a big mark.
Together, they scored just 50 runs in both innings. India also looked short of bowling options, with Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Shardul Thakur struggling to pick wickets.
To balance the team better, the management may now include seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy in the XI. That means only one between Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan might be picked for the second Test, with Shubman Gill continuing at number four.
Nitish Reddy has been impressive in recent times. He had a strong outing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he scored 298 runs and also picked up five wickets. His ability to bat and bowl makes him a perfect fit for the current situation.
He was also seen training in the slip cordon with Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, and Sai Sudharsan during practice, which hints that he is in line for a spot in the playing XI for the Edgbaston Test.
