Is Nitish Kumar Reddy Out of the England Test Series?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Nitish Kumar Reddy risks missing the remainder of the series due to injury.
- The injury may allow Shardul Thakur to return to the lineup.
- India is looking to recover from a 2-1 series deficit.
- Anshul Kamboj joins the squad as an injury replacement.
- Reddy's absence could significantly impact India's strategy.
Manchester, July 20 (NationPress) India's all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy risks missing the final two Test matches in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series due to a knee injury. Although he traveled with the team to Manchester, he was absent from the optional training session held on Sunday.
The injury occurred while Reddy was training in the gym on Sunday, with scans confirming ligament damage, according to reports from ESPN Cricinfo.
This injury might open the door for Shardul Thakur to rejoin the Playing XI. Initially excluded from the starting lineup for the first Test at Headingley, Reddy was included to bolster India's batting strength and provide a fourth fast bowling option.
In four innings, he has accumulated 45 runs, with a top score of 30 in the first innings at Lord’s. As for his bowling performance, the 22-year-old has bowled 17 overs across two Tests at Edgbaston and Lord’s, maintaining an economy of 3.64; he claimed both his wickets in a single over, dismissing openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley.
The injury adds to India's challenges, as the availability of Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh for the Manchester Test is still uncertain, with both fast bowlers dealing with their own injuries.
On Sunday, fast bowler Anshul Kamboj was added to India’s Test squad for the ongoing tour of England following a deep cut sustained by left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh on his bowling hand during training.
The 24-year-old Kamboj, who has taken 79 wickets in 24 First-Class matches for Haryana, was part of the India A team that played two three-day games last month, securing five wickets in those matches. Currently, England leads the series 2-1, making the upcoming encounter in Manchester crucial for India.