2nd Test: Want To Give Reddy Game Time In India To Prepare Him For Overseas Tours, Says Gill

2nd Test: Want to give Reddy game time in India to prepare him for overseas tours, says Gill (Image Source: IANS)

Nitish Kumar Reddy: India captain Shubman Gill emphasised the importance of grooming seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy in home conditions, stating that it is better to give him game time at home and use that as preparation for overseas tours.

Providing Reddy with more opportunities to contribute in an all-round role in the second Test, starting at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday, remains a priority for India. He bowled only four overs in the first innings of the first Test in Ahmedabad and did not get another chance to bowl or even bat, as India declared their innings at 448/5.

While the Indian team management recognises that Reddy’s long-term value lies in overseas conditions favourable to pace, they are also clear that his development must commence with consistent red-ball play at home and maintaining his rhythm before India’s upcoming overseas tours of Sri Lanka and New Zealand in 2026.

In his eight Tests so far, Reddy has shown glimpses of his all-round potential – hitting crucial knocks of 41, 42, and 42, before registering his maiden Test century at the MCG in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia. His bowling is still a work in progress, but he has already dismissed top-order batters in both Australia and England.

“Yes, there have been conversations about that, especially when we go overseas, we always struggle with a third or fourth seam bowling option, especially on tracks that assist fast bowlers. We think it would be unfair on the guy if we are only playing him overseas because that doesn't really give him that much opportunity, especially in the next year, year and a half, we aren't playing that many matches outside of India.”

“So, to be able to have a guy who can bowl 10-15 overs for us in a day and can bat as well, we saw how he batted in Australia, so there's definitely a lot of ability and a lot of potential in him. So, we want to give him as much game time as possible in India. According to the match and situation, where we feel he can bat up the order or down the order, we'll keep that in mind,” said Gill in the pre-match press conference on Thursday.

He was also pragmatic in his view on whether Prasidh Krishna would get a chance to play the second Test. “If there were an opportunity for him (Prasidh), definitely we would be looking to play him. As of now, we want to play at our strongest level because WTC is something you have to win, almost 70 per cent of your matches to be able to sit in a spot to be able to play the finals.”

“So, depending on where we are on the table, this is still in the early stages. So, we want to play the best eleven possible and we want to play the best team that's available for us at this time.”

While spinners are expected to do most of the work on dry surfaces like those planned in New Delhi, Gill stated that he remains mindful of creating opportunities for fast bowlers, even when conditions do not clearly favour them.

“I just think about what's the best possible option for us in that situation. Like, even in the second innings, after lunch, when I gave the ball to Bumrah and Siraj, I thought the ball might reverse a little bit. Going just after lunch, it's an easy option to start the spinners on both and then let's see.”

“Obviously, the spinners are going to get us out. But I just wanted to know there could be a situation in the second match where the ball is reversing, and there isn't much happening from the wicket. So, how do you get wickets from that situation?”

“What would be our plans playing against the West Indies here or playing against South Africa, where the ball, maybe, we are filming first on day one, and the ball isn't spinning that much? So, I see how you can build your plans if the situation is not good and also what is the best bowling option is on that given day or in that given condition.”

Another player who’s also been widely discussed in the lead-up to the second Test is left-handed batter B Sai Sudharsan, whose Test career is still in its promising early stages but has been inconsistent recently.

In Ahmedabad, he was the only top-six batter dismissed for a single-digit score – trapped lbw for seven while attempting to pull off Roston Chase. However, Gill still believes Sudharsan is their future at number three in Tests.

“I don't really think he has got a lean run. He got one inning in the first match in Oval, where he played the crucial innings of 40 runs on that wicket where the ball was swinging. The match before that, he scored a fifty in Manchester. Not every match, everyone is going to score a fifty.”

“You have to give young players more opportunities. They are still trying to figure out their game. We believe that you have to see someone's first potential and then see their game in the entirety and not just judge someone from 1-2-3-4 matches.”

“Once you have given someone enough games – like 6-7-8 matches – then you can sit back and think about where he needs to learn or if he needs to play some more domestic matches or play some more India A games. As of now, we think he is the man for us. He is someone who can play for India at number three for a very long time.”

“You have to give young players more opportunities. They are still trying to figure out their game. We believe that you have to see someone's first potential and then see their game in the entirety and not just judge someone from 1-2-3-4 matches.”

“I think that's the reason why he’s the number one all-rounder in the world. So, I think we are very lucky to have him in our team. When it comes to fielding, everyone can see his throws, catches and the intensity he has when he has the ball. I've seen it many times that the batsmen don't even take the second run off him.”

Article Source: IANS