India’s young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has credited Pat Cummins and Morne Morkel for helping him improve as a bowler. On Day 1 of the third Test of the ongoing series against England at Lord's, Reddy picked up two key wickets in his first over, dismissing both England openers, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett. He finished with figures of 2/46 in 14 overs, his best performance in the series so far.
Reddy was given the new ball for the first time in the series. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj did not get any early wickets. Captain Shubman Gill handed the ball to Reddy in the 14th over. He struck in his first over as Duckett was caught down the leg side. A couple of balls later, Crawley edged one that swung and moved away. Ollie Pope also edged his first ball, but Gill dropped it at slip.
After the day’s play, Nitish Kumar Reddy opened up about the people who have guided him in recent months.
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Nitish Kumar Reddy Reveals How Pat Cummins Helped His Bowling Evolve
The youngster’s ability to generate movement both ways and maintain a consistent line showed visible improvement. He attributed this to the guidance of two experienced names, his Indian Premier League (IPL) captain Pat Cummins and India’s bowling coach Morkel.
Reflecting on his growth as a bowler, Reddy shared how the Australia tour last year helped him reassess his game. Having played under Cummins at Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL, Reddy had close access to the Australian pace spearhead and he asked him for some tips.
"After Australia tour (2024-25, where he took five wickets in nine innings), I felt like I have to improve my bowling and my consistency. That’s what I looked about. And yeah, Pat is my captain, and he’s been brilliant in Australia and I have asked him some tips and he has been telling me how things would’ve been done in Australia, how can I go through in Australia. And that’s a great experience for me, sharing with Pat Cummins," Reddy said as quoted to the media.
Morkel also has been working closely with Reddy to improve his bowling.
"Coming to this tour, I would say, working with Morne Morkel has been great for me. He’s working with me for couple of weeks and, we are seeing good progress in my bowling, and I’m really enjoying working with him."
"We’ve been working on my consistency a lot since I get a bit of swing both ways. I just want to be consistent on the areas. So we are working on that. I’ve been working hard on my bowling for one year or two years. I’ve been doing a lot of hard work, but later on it is about understanding things and believing in myself. If you believe, that’s when your hard work comes on point. That’s what I’m realising now," Reddy shared.
The 22-year-old also opened up about the challenges he faced returning from a side strain. During the IPL, the management had advised him to take it easy. He gradually increased his workload and found his rhythm as the tournament progressed.
"Initially they asked you to take it easy but I gradually increased workload during the IPL. To be honest, after the injury it has been a bit tough for me to get on my rhythm. Obviously I got a side strain and it has been hurting me a bit after the injury as well. So at the end of the IPL season I got my bowling and started going to the matches I am pretty happy the way I bowled today and I just want to continue tomorrow and get some wickets from the team," Reddy stated.
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India Need Early Wickets on Day 2
At stumps on Day 1, England reached 251/4 after recovering from early setbacks. Joe Root remained unbeaten on 99, showing his class once again at Lord’s. He was well supported by captain Ben Stokes, who is batting on 39.
The duo has already added an unbeaten 79-run stand for the fifth wicket, putting England in a strong position. India will be desperate to break this partnership early on Day 2 to regain control of the match. With Root nearing a hundred and Stokes looking settled, the first hour could be crucial.
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