India's injury woes continue in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, as young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the final two Tests against England due to a left knee injury. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Monday that the 21-year-old will return home for further rehabilitation.
Reddy, who made his Test debut during India's tour of Australia last year, had been showing signs of promise with both bat and ball. While he went wicketless in his first outing in Birmingham earlier in the series, he made a strong impression at Lord’s. His spell during the first innings saw him dismiss both English openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in a single over, and he removed Crawley again in the second innings. With the bat, he chipped in with handy scores of 30 and 13, offering glimpses of his potential as a seam-bowling all-rounder.
ARSHDEEP SINGH ALSO SIDELINED FOR MANCHESTER TEST
In a double setback for India, uncapped left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh will also miss the upcoming fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester. The 25-year-old sustained an impact injury to his left thumb during a training session in Beckenham. While his injury is not believed to be long-term, he has been ruled out of the immediate fixture. The BCCI confirmed that its medical team is monitoring Arshdeep's recovery.
ANSHUL KAMBOJ ADDED TO STRENGTHEN the PACE DEPARTMENT
To address the gap in the pace attack, the Men’s Selection Committee has added Anshul Kamboj, an uncapped pacer from Haryana, to the Indian squad. Kamboj, known for his ability to generate pace and movement off the seam, has joined the team in Manchester ahead of the fourth Test, which begins Wednesday, July 23 at Old Trafford.
This marks a significant opportunity for the 24-year-old, who has been impressive in domestic cricket and is being seen as a promising fast-bowling talent.
BUMRAH'S FITNESS IN FOCUS, THAKUR COULD MAKE A COMEBACK
India, currently trailing 1-2 in the five-match Test series, is grappling with selection headaches, especially in the fast-bowling department. Lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has featured in only two of the three Tests so far, is being closely monitored for workload management. However, the team management remains hopeful about his availability for the crucial Manchester encounter after an eight-day break following the third Test.
With Nitish Reddy unavailable, Shardul Thakur, who played in the series opener in Leeds, could be recalled into the playing XI if India opts to stick with a seam-bowling all-rounder to maintain balance.
UPDATED INDIA SQUAD FOR FOURTH TEST VS ENGLAND
Shubman Gill (Captain)
Rishabh Pant (Vice-Captain & WK)
Yashasvi Jaiswal
KL Rahul
Sai Sudharsan
Abhimanyu Easwaran
Karun Nair
Ravindra Jadeja
Dhruv Jurel (WK)
Washington Sundar
Shardul Thakur
Jasprit Bumrah
Mohammed Siraj
Prasidh Krishna
Akash Deep
Kuldeep Yadav
Anshul Kamboj
LOOKING AHEAD
With the series finely poised, the fourth Test at Old Trafford becomes a must-win for India to stay alive in the contest. The absence of Reddy and Arshdeep will test India’s bench strength, while England, currently leading the series, will look to capitalise on their home advantage.
