Nitish Kumar Reddy Ruled Out of England Series Due to Knee Injury. Team India is preparing for the fourth Test against England, set to begin on July 23 at Old Trafford, Manchester. However, the Shubman Gill-led side has suffered a significant setback, with all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy ruled out of the final two Tests due to a knee injury.
Reddy picked up the injury during a gym session and has been declared unfit to continue in the series. He is expected to return home shortly. In his two Test appearances, he contributed 45 runs and claimed three wickets, offering valuable balance to the team.
With his absence, India will now be looking for a suitable replacement to restore that all-round depth. On that note, here are three potential candidates who could step in for Reddy in the remaining matches.
ENG vs IND: 3 Players Who Could Replace Nitish Kumar Reddy in India’s Squad for Final Two Tests
With Nitish Kumar Reddy ruled out, India may look for suitable replacements to strengthen their squad for the remaining two Tests against England. Here are three potential options:
Harshit Rana
Harshit Rana emerges as a strong candidate to step in for Reddy. He was earlier included as a backup pacer during the first Test at Headingley and has shown promise in the limited red-ball opportunities he’s had. With India grappling with pace injuries, Rana’s inclusion could add much-needed depth and energy to the fast bowling unit.
Hardik Pandya
Though primarily active in white-ball formats, Hardik Pandya is a like-for-like seam-bowling all-rounder replacement. Having played 11 Tests—his last being against England in 2018—Pandya’s return to the red-ball setup could mirror Moeen Ali’s short-term Test comeback for England. If fit and available, Pandya could provide balance and versatility.
Mukesh Kumar
Given the injuries to Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep, India might consider turning to Mukesh Kumar. A dependable pacer, Mukesh offers consistency and can seamlessly fill the gap in the pace lineup. His inclusion would provide stability as India reshuffles their attack for the last two matches.