England vs India 2025: Shardul Thakur or Nitish Kumar Reddy – Who deserves a spot in Leeds Test?
Team India will begin their five-match Test series against England on June 20, with the first Test scheduled at Leeds. This will be a new Test team under the captaincy of Shubman Gill post the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the five-day format. India will look to play either Nitish Kumar Reddy or Shardul Thakur as the all-rounder in the XI. But who holds the edge to grab that spot in the XI?
Let’s take a look at the utility of each player, and what they bring to the table:
Nitish Kumar Reddy’s Batting firepower
Nitish Reddy has had a good Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025 where he struck his maiden Test century. He was one of the few bright batting spots in an otherwise forgettable tour. Playing lower down the order, Reddy made some useful runs with the tailenders to save India the blushes a few times during the tour. He also showed his range of strokes as he had to score runs quickly as he was in danger of losing partners. Overall, he made 298 runs at 37.25 with one century Down Under.
His recent performance with the bat is up to the mark as well. In the tour games against England A in the ongoing tour, he made 135 runs at 45 with one fifty. He put his average IPL 2025 performance behind to score some useful runs with the bat in the tour games.
Read More: IND vs ENG, Tests, 2025: India’s optimum bowling combination on England tour
Reddy’s promise with the ball
In the BGT 2024-25, he broke partnerships, and picked up a wicket or two when the main bowlers needed rest and rotation. He showed promise with the ball in the tour picking up 5 wickets, but he still has a long way to go before he can be considered a genuine seam bowler. In the tour games in the current tour, he has picked up 2 wickets.
Reddy’s youth and fielding
Reddy is just 22 years old, and has shown his potential as an all-rounder. His fielding is also spot on. If India are looking for a long-term solution of an all-rounder, investing in Reddy could be the right decision.
Read More: Labour of love does pay: Nitish Reddy scores maiden Test ton at the MCG
Shardul Thakur
Familiarity with English conditions
Shardul Thakur has a good record with the bat in English conditions. He has scored three fifties, aggregating 173 runs at 24.71 in 4 Tests in England. He has also been among the runs in the last Ranji season, aggregating 505 runs at 36.85 with one ton and 4 fifties in 9 games. Hence, it is too tough to ignore Thakur as No 7 or 8 batter as he can rally with the tailenders to add some valuable runs to the total. His experience of batting in English conditions and scoring runs give him an edge. However, in the two tour games, Thakur has disappointed with just 80 runs in 3 innings.
Read More: ENG vs IND, 2025: India’s probable top 6 for Leeds Test
Handy bowling
In English conditions, Thakur has picked up 10 wickets at 37.10 in 4 Tests in the two previous tours. He has gone wicketless only twice in eight innings in England. Thakur has also impressed with the ball in the last Ranji season, picking up 35 wickets at 22.62 with one five-wicket haul in 9 games. Hence, Thakur’s numbers are too good to ignore. But in the tour games so far, he has picked up just 2 wickets but conceded close to 150 runs.
Age not by his side
Thakur will turn 34 soon, and it may be a subject of deliberation whether his body can withstand the rigours of playing in the five-day format. Thakur is a decent fielder, but that alone wouldn’t guarantee him a place in the XI.
So, who should get the nod between the two?
Post the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, a young and inexperienced India would look to strengthen their batting unit, and plan to bat as deep as possible. Reddy has shown Down Under that he has the batting skills to not only bat as low as No 7, but he can play as a specialist batter as well higher up the order. Hence, the team management may punt on Reddy for the Leeds Test, hoping his bat does the talking. And if Reddy could roll his arms and give the main bowlers a rest, and pick up a wicket or two, it would be a bonus. Thakur has experience, but his recent poor show with bat and ball in the tour games could work against him.
Read More: Shardul Thakur ticking all boxes for Test comeback
