The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is levelled at 1-1.
It wasn’t a long time ago that Indian all-rounder Nitish Reddy announced himself on the big stage. An outstanding ton at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in a Boxing Day Test! That is no mean feat. Roped into the playing XI in the second Test of the ongoing ENG vs IND series, Nitish has a point to prove. However, he has an Indian legend backing him. Former head coach Anil Kumble wants the visitors to persist with the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) all-rounder for the long term. Kumble believes that Nitish has got the ingredients for what it takes to be a great player on the biggest stage. India haven’t seen a fast bowling all-rounder in the Test side after Hardik Pandya’s brief career.
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Upon being asked about the all-rounder, Kumble was all praises. He mentioned that Nitish did pretty well on the recent tour to Australia. Though he didn’t take many wickets, the former head coach thought that the role of an all-rounder is to keep the runs in check and give the bowlers a breather. Kumble also stressed that he can bowl longer spells, which speaks volumes of his fitness and control over his bowling. The 22-year-old struck gold in the very first over he bowled in the third Test. He sent both the English openers packing in the same over.
“I thought he did quite well in Australia. He 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. 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”, said Anil Kumble.
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Nitish Reddy recently opened up about the conversations with his franchise captain, Pat Cummins, about playing in SENA conditions. That pretty much explains his heroics in his very first over in the third Test at Lord’s. The young all-rounder has made an appearance in just seven Tests. He has registered 300 runs in 11 innings with an average of 30. His highest score reads 114, which comprises the magnificent hundred he got at the MCG. He has registered almost all his runs in the five matches on Australian soil. In the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, he could just manage two runs in the two innings he has featured in.
Nitish mentioned very clearly in the press conference ahead of the third Test that he knew he had to improve his bowling after the tour Down Under. In nine innings across five matches in Australia, he bowled 44 overs with three maidens. He was able to scalp five wickets in total and conceded 190 runs. The most impressive thing about his bowling was that he bowled with an economy of 4.31, which means that he can keep the batters quiet. Having an all-rounder who can bowl and keep batters under control is an asset to any team, especially with the game growing so quickly.
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