Not Bumrah, not Siraj, and not even Akash Deep pulled off what Nitish Kumar Reddy did in the all-important 3rd Test. On a day when England were making batting look like a casual Sunday stroll, Reddy decided to flip the script—literally.
On a flat Lord’s surface where the ball was doing less than a sleepy intern, England were cruising at 44/0. And then came that over, which changed everything. Fresh, fearless, and firing on debut energy, Reddy steamed in and removed both openers in his very first over. Just like that—momentum, seized.
Now here’s the stat: in the last 23 years, only two Indian pacers have taken two wickets in their very first over of a men’s Test innings. The first was Irfan Pathan in Karachi, 2006 (remember that hat-trick?). And now, Nitish Kumar Reddy.
And no, this wasn’t some once-in-a-lifetime fluke. Nitish regularly opens the bowling for Andhra in the Ranji Trophy. He’s not new to taking responsibility with the new ball. So why doesn’t the Indian team trust his bowling ability more often?
Rewind to the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the MCG. The stadium was packed, India were on the ropes, and in walked Nitish. He didn’t just survive—he smashed his maiden Test hundred. A performance like that should’ve secured his spot in the XI. Instead? He was dropped in the very next series opener.
Which raises a crucial question: When Nitish is a genuine all-rounder, why does he get treated like a backup option? Why are his overs limited? Why is his spot up for grabs even after match-defining performances?
Team management, if you're listening—this isn’t Netflix. You can’t treat Reddy like a one-season wonder and write him off before the next episode. He’s proven his mettle with both bat and ball. It’s time he gets the run he clearly deserves.
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