ENG vs IND: ‘Test matches cannot be won with part-time bowlers’, former Indian legend advised to drop Nitish Reddy for the fourth match

Currently, Team India finds itself trailing 1-2 in the ongoing Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy series against England. The third Test at Lord’s turned out to be a nail-biter, but in the end, India fell short by just 22 runs. Despite having a modest target of 193 runs to chase in the fourth innings, the Indian batting lineup collapsed under pressure, managing only 170 runs. The English bowlers, led by captain Ben Stokes, put on a masterclass in the final innings to seal the win. This defeat has raised several questions about India’s team selection and their approach, particularly in the batting and bowling departments.

In the tense chase at Lord’s, only Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul showed some resilience. Jadeja scored a gritty 46, and Rahul contributed with a handy 38, but the rest of the batting unit faltered. The middle-order batsmen appeared completely out of rhythm, and the lower order failed to provide the finishing touch. All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy offered brief resistance and had a decent bowling outing earlier in the match, picking up three key wickets. However, his inability to contribute significantly with the bat in a crucial moment has drawn criticism. Former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar, in particular, has called for his exclusion from the playing XI for the upcoming fourth Test.

According to Vengsarkar, the Indian team needs to go into the remaining matches with a more specialist-oriented bowling attack. He stressed the need for a bowler like Arshdeep Singh, who has shown the ability to swing the ball effectively in English conditions. Vengsarkar believes that relying on part-time options in the bowling lineup will not win Test matches, especially in challenging overseas conditions. He also questioned the inclusion of Washington Sundar, suggesting that a more traditional spinner like Kuldeep Yadav could add variety and bite to the attack. Kuldeep, a left-arm wrist spinner, can exploit rough patches and offer a different challenge to the English batters.

Speaking to Revsports, Vengsarkar explained, “I would drop Nitish Kumar Reddy and maybe one more player to make room for Arshdeep. I think Siraj and Bumrah should retain their place.” He added, “Kuldeep Yadav can also play in place of Washington Sundar. You need five genuine bowlers to win a Test match. If your top six batsmen are not scoring, you can’t rely on part-timers. You must go in with a complete bowling attack.”

Vengsarkar, who has played 116 Tests for India, also weighed in on the potential of middle-order batsman Karun Nair. Nair, known for his historic triple century against England in 2016, has struggled to cement his spot in the team in recent years. In this series, he has managed to get starts but failed to convert them into significant contributions. Vengsarkar, however, is not ready to give up on him yet. “Karun Nair is a good player,” he said. “He has shown his potential. But now he needs to convert those 30s and 40s into centuries. He is experienced and knows what’s expected of him. I would like to give him one more Test match to prove himself.”

As India prepares for the fourth Test in this highly competitive series, team management will face tough decisions regarding selection. With only two matches left, every choice will matter if India wants to stage a comeback and regain control. Fans and experts alike are eagerly waiting to see whether the selectors take Vengsarkar’s advice to heart and bring in players better suited to the English conditions.