Former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron believes Nitish Kumar Reddy should have been more aggressive in the second innings of the third Test match against England at Lord’s. Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja added 30 runs for the eighth wicket after India were left tottering at 82-7.
The right-handed all-rounder scored 13 runs off 53 balls before he was dismissed by Chris Woakes at the stroke of lunch. Reddy was looking solid in defense but could not convert his start. After Reddy’s dismissal, India was left reeling at 112-8.
Varun Aaron said on JioHotstar, “I feel that in such a situation, where you don’t have to chase a big target, you need to designate the role of an aggressor to one batter. If you look at the morning session, India had four proper batters in hand— Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Rishabh Pant. At least one of those batters should have taken that role. Maybe India would have scored runs earlier in that case.
“Nitish Reddy was the prime candidate because he had never been in this situation. When you give a youngster the freedom to express himself, you never know, it could have paid off.”
Meanwhile, Reddy scored 30 runs off 91 balls in the first innings and thus could not convert his start. In the second Test, Reddy had scored one run each in both innings at Edgbaston and thus he has failed to deliver with the bat in two Test matches.
On the other hand, Ravindra Jadeja scored an unbeaten knock of 61 runs off 181 balls, but his valiant effort went in vain as India suffered a heartbreaking 22-run loss.
The fourth Test match between England and India will be played at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, from July 23 onwards.
