IND vs ENG: India have been dealt twin injury blows ahead of the crucial fourth Test against England in Manchester. All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the series due to a left knee injury, while left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh will miss the fourth Test after suffering a thumb injury during a training session.
Nitish Kumar Reddy’s Series Cut Short
Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made his Test debut in the second match at Edgbaston, will return home after sustaining a knee injury. Though his debut series was mixed, he had shown promise in the Lord’s Test by dismissing England’s openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in a single over and dismissing Crawley again in the second innings.
With the bat, Nitish played two gritty knocks at Lord’s but fell at crucial moments, as India narrowly lost the contest by 22 runs. His absence leaves a vacancy for a fast-bowling all-rounder in the playing XI.
Shardul Thakur Likely Replacement
India had preferred Shardul Thakur as their seam-bowling all-rounder in the series opener at Headingley. While Shardul picked up two wickets in the second innings of the first Test, his limited contributions with both bat and ball saw him replaced by Reddy. With Reddy now unavailable, Shardul is expected to reclaim his place for the must-win clash.
Arshdeep Singh Ruled Out with Thumb Injury
Arshdeep Singh, who was expected to play a crucial role on the seamer-friendly Manchester track, injured his left thumb during a net session in Beckenham. The BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring his progress, but he is officially out of the fourth Test.
Anshul Kamboj Added to Squad
The Men’s Selection Committee has included young fast bowler Anshul Kamboj in the squad. It remains to be seen whether Kamboj will make his debut or if Prasidh Krishna will return to the XI, as India aim to level the series in this do-or-die encounter.
India’s Updated Squad for Fourth Test vs England
India Squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj.