Reddy and Thakur have big task ahead as both all-rounders have not seemed like hitting their stride as of yet.
Reddy and Thakur both have work to do ahead of first Test.
In two games against the England Lions, Nitish Kumar Reddy scored one half-century and claimed two wickets for India A. In addition to taking two wickets, Shardul Thakur scored a maximum of 34 runs in the two matches. India would be worried about who would be the best choice for the first Test match against England, which starts in Leeds on June 20, based alone on those stats.
It’s reasonable to presume that Reddy would largely be a batting all-rounder if included, given his minimal bowling involvement in the two matches. He played all five Tests in his first Test series in Australia, when he did this with some success. Reddy has been beaten by seam movement and has had trouble judging the bounce thus far in England.
Reddy tried to cut too early with firm hands against a ball that bounced up from good length in the first innings at Canterbury on a benign pitch. Even though he reached a half-century in the second innings, the Lions’ part-time bowlers were already rolling their arms over, and the game had already entered yawn mode.
However, the seam movement would affect Reddy more because he was bowled in both Northampton innings, notably by part-time medium bowler Tom Haines. Reddy used audacious strokes in Australia, no matter what, but it worked because the ball landed on the bat perfectly. However, Reddy has several obstacles to overcome in England, including as the wobble seam, overhead conditions, and the pitch, all of which can only be overcome with effective defensive play.
Naturally, the Test match will bring a different level of intensity and mentality, and India will want both all-rounders to perform better. One of the reasons India won the 2021 series in England was Thakur, who produced significant runs in the bottom order and performed an efficient role as a fifth spinner. India led 2-1 in four Test matches before losing the final one to draw it 2-2. Right now, Thakur and Reddy both have tasks to complete.