ENG vs IND 2025: 3 players who can replace Nitish Kumar Reddy in fourth Test

The Indian team has been hit by a massive blow ahead of the fourth Test, as promising all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out for the remainder of the series. The BCCI confirmed that the Andhra cricketer will be flying back home, and won’t take part further in the all-important Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. On the other hand, India are also 1-2 down in the five-match series, and now the fourth five-day fixture will commence on July 23.

As a cover, India have added ace pacer Anshul Kamboj in the squad, However, chances are few that captain Shubman Gill will draft Kamboj directly into the Playing XI, as even the experienced names have been sitting on the bench. Today, Sports.Info will discuss the three potential replacements for Reddy, who may feature instead of him in the fourth Test, which is set to be played at the Old Trafford in Manchester.

3 Players who can replace Nitish Kumar Reddy in fourth Test against England

3. Kuldeep Yadav

Star spinner Kuldeep Yadav is a sure starter when playing in favourable subcontinent conditions. However, the English soli and weather doesn’t offer a lot for the spinners, as the majority of the wickets are snatched away by pacers. However, Kuldeep has troubled the England side in the past. Players like Harry Brook and Ollie Pope aren’t accustomed to face the mysterious nature of spin offered, something that Kuldeep excels at. 

In just six games against England, Kuldeep has picked up a solid 21 wickets at an astonishing average of just 22.28. His unorthodox bowling style As a result, Gill might be tempted to pick the Aligarh-born, as he is also a handy lower-order batter.

2. Sai Sudharsan

While it is seemingly sure that Sai Sudharsan is not a like-for-like replacement to someone like Nitish Kumar Reddy, he is definitely one of the most promising bench strengths for the Indian team at the moment. He made his debut in the longest format of the game during the series opener in Headingley, but disappointing returns in both the innings of the encounter saw him lose his spot, as Karun Nair replaced him to bat at No. 3.

Unfortunately, even the experienced Nair wasn’t able to impress in his comeback series, which has ignited talks about the re-calling of Sudharsan, who won the Orange Cap in the recent IPL season, back to be given another chance at the English batters. If the management also thinks like a lot of experts are, the Tamil Nadu batter may get another opportunity, regardless of the batting position.

1. Shardul Thakur

Without a hint of doubt, Shardul Thakur’s inclusion in the original 18-man squad for the series was justified, following his serious returns in the previous domestic season for Mumbai. He had starred with both ball and the bat for Mumbai, but when it came to the solitary game he played in the series, his services with the ball went underutilized, and the runs didn’t come as expected.

Like every player has a bad game, Shardul’s previous outing might also have been one, but the Thane-born is always a surprise package, as he has the knack of getting wickets against the run of play. During his previous tour to England, he had scored a quick-fire half-century, which had massively helped India’s cause in the visit gone by around three years ago. Nitish had replaced Shardul after his poor performance at Headingley, and now, the management may give him another chance to pose a perfect threat to the opposition across departments.