On Wednesday, Morne Morkel, India’s bowling coach, talked up Nitish Kumar Reddy, as he interacted with the media at Beckenham. “He is a guy that can bowl that magic ball,” Morkel told reporters. From Mohinder Amarnath to Mudassar Nazar – dibbly-dobbly seamers have emerged as game-changers in England in the past. Can Reddy be India’s ‘man with the golden arm’ in the upcoming five Test series in Blighty?
As a batsman, Reddy made a good start to his Test career in Australia and returned with some credit in the bank, including a hundred, from a disastrous tour for his side. He plays with hard hands and his strong-armed approach suited to the Australian conditions. England, however, is a different ball game. Here, the ball will swing and playing with hard hands could be a recipe for disaster. In the two matches against England Lions, the batting-all-rounder didn’t look convincing, a half-century notwithstanding. At Northampton, he was castled in both innings, done in by seam movement.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir ostensibly likes Reddy. Else, he wouldn’t have been fast-tracked to the Test side despite having a batting average of 25 in first-class cricket. In Australia, the 22-year-old more or less lived up to his coach’s expectations, batting-wise. His bowling, though, was pedestrian.
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So far in England, Reddy has taken two wickets across two matches for India A. But Morkel has given an indication that the team is planning with Reddy firmly in the scheme of things for the first Test in Leeds. “He is skillful,” the bowling coach said. “For him, it’s about creating that consistency, something we want to work on. It’s important for his game as well. I have had conversations where I have challenged him to bowl a bit more.”
Reddy’s nearest competitor for the No. 8 position is Shardul Thakur. Last year, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had spoken about moving on from the senior Mumbai all-rounder. But Shardul has returned to the Test team fold by dint of his performances in domestic cricket. He scored 505 runs and took 35 wickets in nine matches during the last Ranji Trophy season. As a bowler, he is far more convincing than Reddy, with the ability to extract movement and bounce. As a batsman, the youngster will edge the 33-year-old, but Shardul is a lion-hearted cricketer who revels under pressure. His Gabba heroics in January 2021 and the game-turning half-century at The Oval a few months later serve as confirmations. Also, Shardul has played four of his 11 Tests in England.
A confident team doesn’t need a batsman at No. 8. Loading the side with batsmen will suggest uncertainty. Also, a fourth seamer’s job is to make important wicket-taking contributions from time to time. It’s not just about chipping in with a few overs to allow the frontline fast bowlers some breather. Shardul should be the right choice.
Also Read: A Quiet Morning in Beckenham: India’s First Official Practice