new delhi: India are unlikely to tinker with their winning combination for the second Test against West Indies, with assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate confirming that the think-tank wants to give young Nitish Kumar Reddy an extended run as part of a long-term plan to develop a seam-bowling all-rounder.
The match starts here from Friday. “I’d say we’re unlikely to change the combination,” Ten Doeschate said on Wednesday.
“One of the objectives, one of the sort of medium-term objectives, is to develop a seam bowling all-rounder for India.”
The long-term focus explains why the team management is keen to continue with Reddy despite his limited role in the previous Test.
The 21-year-old from Andhra didn’t get much of a look-in last week, but the coaching staff views the series as a platform to nurture his all-round potential rather than judge him by one outing.
“It’s very important when we go away on tours that we have that position coming,” Ten Doeschate explained.
“We didn’t get a very good look at Nitish last week, so I think it’s actually a very good opportunity to give Nitish another go and not alter the balance of the team. We think he’s a fantastic seam bowling all-rounder.”
The former Netherlands captain admitted that the biggest challenge for seam-bowling all-rounders in India has often been physical durability rather than skills.
“A bowler with all seam... I think the biggest sort of limitation to what he’s seen could be his body. He’s not the first all-rounder that we’ve seen in this country,” he said. “He’s perfect on his heart. He’s the same sort of character of player where we don’t doubt their skills at all, but for their bodies to hold up to play Test cricket is
a different matter.” agencies