Nitish Kumar Reddy Strikes Early at Lord’s, Removes Both England Openers. Indian all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy made a sensational impact on Day 1 of the third Test at Lord’s, dismissing both England openers in his very first over. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley had already been put under pressure by Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep with the new ball.
Nitish Kumar: However, a tactical bowling change by stand-in captain Shubman Gill brought Reddy into the attack — and the move paid immediate dividends. In a stunning over, Reddy sent both openers back to the pavilion, swinging the momentum in India’s favor.
He bowled approximately 14 overs on the opening day and stood out by generating more swing off the surface than Bumrah, Akash, or Siraj, despite bowling at a slightly lower pace.
Nitish Kumar Reddy said he asked Pat, his captain, for some tips.
Nitish Kumar: “Following the Australia tour, I realized I needed to work on my bowling and consistency. That became my focus. Pat, being my captain and having performed brilliantly in Australia, has given me valuable advice. I’ve asked him for tips on how things are done there and how I can adapt my approach. Sharing this experience with Pat Cummins has been really beneficial,” Reddy told reporters.
“I also asked Pat about the differences between bowling in Australia and England since this is my first tour here. He said it’s not a drastic change; you just need to observe the weather conditions and play your own game. The key is to learn as much as possible,” he added.
Nitish Kumar: Earlier in the day, England won the toss and chose to bat first—only the second time this has happened since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum ushered in the ‘Bazball era.’ England finished day one at 251 for 4, with Joe Root unbeaten on 99 and Ben Stokes on 39.