Exclusive: 'If it was my team, I would drop Nitish and....': Harbhajan Singh suggests one major change in India playing XI for Manchester Test

Sports Tak

Sports Tak

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Exclusive: 'If it was my team, I would drop Nitish and....': Harbhajan Singh suggests one major change in India playing XI for Manchester Test
Nitish Kumar Reddy after losing his wicket in Lord's Test; Cricketer-turned-commentator Harbhajan Singh.

Story Highlights:

Nitish Kumar Reddy has 45 runs and 3 wickets from 2 Tests in the series.

Kuldeep Yadav is yet to play a Test in the series.

Harbhajan wanted Kuldeep to play in the Edgbaston Test as well.

India's legendary off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has backed left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav's inclusion in the playing XI for the fourth Test of Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 at The Old Trafford, Manchester. Harbhajan feels Kuldeep can be the mystery bowler for Shubman Gill-led side who can provide crucial breakthroughs. 

"I had said before the Lord's Test and also for the Birmingham Test that Kuldeep should play. Because the kind of free flowing batting these Englishmen do, it is not that easy to him. If such a spinner spins it both sides, then he can become a mystery bowler and take wickets at crucial times," Harbhajan Singh said in a conversation with Sports Tak.

 

 

"In Test cricket, it is not just that they are waiting for the new ball. Let a few overs be bowled. If nothing much is happening, then Kuldeep Yadav can take wickets."

 

 

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Asked about which player would make way for Kuldeep in the playing XI, he named pace-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy. In addition, he feels that young top-order Sai Sudharsan was hard done by as he was dropped from the playing XI after his Test debut in Edgbaston.

"If it was my team, I would drop Nitish and bring Kuldeep directly in the team. Whereas if there was a change in the top order, I would back Sai Sudarshan a little more. I would not have sidelined him after the first match. I think he is very capable, he is a very good player," the Turbanator said. 

 

 

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Reddy in the Test series so far

Reddy registered two single-digit scores in Edgbaston Test and remained wicketless. In the Lord's Test, he provided two crucial breakthroughs in his first over. He got a wicket in the second innings but was unimpressive with the bat. He could not convert a start into big score and was dismissed for 30 in the first innings. In the run chase, he departed for 13.

No wins in Manchester 

India are yet to win a Test in Manchester. They will be playing a Test at the venue after a big gap of 11 years. In addition, Indian bowlers have not taken all 20 wickets in a single Test at the venue.