Young Indian pacer Nitish Reddy emerged as India’s most successful bowler on the opening day of the Test match against England at Lord’s, highlighting a conscious effort to improve his bowling consistency as a primary factor in his performance. Reddy, who was introduced into the attack in the 14th over, claimed two crucial wickets, dismissing England openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in his very first over, and finished the day having bowled 14 overs, matching senior pacer Mohammed Siraj’s workload.
Indian pacer Nitish Reddy delivers a ball during the Test match against England at Lord's.
The 22-year-old, noted as the slowest among the four Indian seamers on display, impressed with his ability to generate appreciable swing while maintaining precise lines and lengths throughout the day, helping India restrict England’s scoring rate. Reddy stated that developing this level of bowling consistency has been a specific goal since the start of the tour, which included an India A fixture and an intra-squad game.
Reddy revealed that discussions with his IPL captain, Pat Cummins, and insights from India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, have been instrumental in his development. “It’s like after [the] Australia tour, I felt like I have to improve my bowling and the consistency the most, that’s what I looked at,” Reddy commented, adding that Cummins provided valuable tips on bowling in Australian conditions based on his experience. He described the interaction with Cummins as a “great experience.”
Working with Morne Morkel since arriving for the tour has also been highly beneficial. “He’s working with me for [a] couple of weeks and, we are seeing good progress in my bowling, and I’m really enjoying working with him,” Reddy said. “We have been working on my consistency a lot, since I got some bit of swing both ways and I just want to be consistent over all areas. So, we are working on that, and I have been working hard on my bowling since one or two years now.”
Reddy acknowledged that regaining his bowling rhythm had been challenging following a side strain injury sustained during a T20 International against England in January. The injury affected his preparation and participation in the subsequent Indian Premier League season, where he initially did not bowl and only gradually resumed bowling in the nets during the latter stages, ultimately bowling just five competitive overs in the tournament.
He admitted that the injury lingered slightly, making the return to bowling difficult. “Yeah, to be honest, after injury it’s been a bit tough for me to get in my rhythm… it [had] been a bit hurting me after the injury as well,” Reddy explained. However, he felt a positive change towards the end of the IPL season when he resumed bowling in matches.
Reflecting on his performance at Lord’s, Reddy emphasized his focus on enjoying the moment and fulfilling the team’s requirements. “I just wanted to enjoy the moment and want to bowl what my team want from me. I guess that’s what I have done exactly and pretty happy the way I bowled today,” he stated, expressing his desire to continue his performance and take more wickets in the subsequent days of the Test.
