Debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy Shines on Day 1 of Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy

Reddy's Impressive Debut Performance

During the opening day of the third Test in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Lord's, all eyes were on India's leading pace bowlers—Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep—to make early breakthroughs. However, it was debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy who surprised everyone by taking two crucial wickets in his very first over, dismissing openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley.

Reddy's unexpected success on the first day outshone the more experienced bowlers. Speaking to the media after the day's play, he expressed gratitude towards India's bowling coach Morne Morkel and his IPL captain Pat Cummins for their guidance in enhancing his bowling skills.

Captain Shubman Gill handed the ball to Reddy in the 14th over, and he ended up bowling nearly 14 overs throughout the day. Remarkably, Reddy managed to extract more movement from the pitch than Bumrah, Siraj, or Akash Deep, validating his selection with a performance that surpassed expectations.

Reflecting on his journey, Reddy mentioned, 'After the Australia tour, I realized I needed to work on my bowling and consistency. Pat has been fantastic in Australia, and I've sought his advice on how to adapt my game for different conditions. Sharing experiences with Pat Cummins has been invaluable.'

He further added, 'I inquired about the differences in bowling between Australia and England since this is my first tour. Pat advised me to focus on the weather conditions and to play my natural game while learning as much as possible.'