Inspired Call by Gill as Nitish Reddy Strikes Twice on Day 1 at Lord’s
Shubman Gill’s captaincy acumen was on full display on Day 1 of the third Test at Lord’s, where his unexpected decision to bring on part-time pacer Nitish Kumar Reddy proved a masterstroke. The young all-rounder delivered two crucial breakthroughs in a single over, tilting the morning session in India’s favour.
With England’s openers having negotiated the threat of Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, and Mohammed Siraj early on, Gill introduced Reddy in the 14th over—right after a drinks break and team huddle. The move reaped instant rewards.
Bowling from the Members’ End, Reddy struck with his second delivery, a leg-side ball that cramped Ben Duckett for room. Attempting a fine glance, Duckett only managed to nick it to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps. Two balls later, Reddy dismissed Zak Crawley with a beautiful delivery that moved away just enough to find the edge—again well held by Pant.
Reddy nearly had a wicket in between, as Ollie Pope edged his first ball just short of a diving Gill at gully. His spell rattled England, reducing them from 43 for no loss to 44 for 2.
The 21-year-old clocked around 130 kph but stood out with his accuracy and control. CricViz data confirmed Reddy generated the most swing (2.6°) and seam movement (0.9°) among Indian bowlers in the session. His fuller length and disciplined lines kept Pope and Joe Root in check as England went to lunch on 83 for 2.
Rotation and Risk: India’s Bowling Mix
Reddy’s success allowed Gill to manage his bowling resources smartly. Bumrah, although wicketless, bowled with intensity and troubled the batters consistently. Mohammed Siraj provided control in his five tidy overs.
Akash Deep, fresh off a 10-wicket haul at Edgbaston, looked less threatening and was not given a chance from the Pavilion End—something former England quick Steve Harmison called a “missed trick” by India, especially given Akash’s prior success with the slope working in his favour.
At the break, Root (24*) and Pope (12*) remained unbeaten, with India holding the upper hand thanks to Reddy’s unexpected but game-changing impact.
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