"Might not be a starter at Lord's" - Varun Aaron on potential changes in India's playing XI for ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

Former India player Varun Aaron has opined that Nitish Kumar Reddy might not be a part of the Indian team's playing XI for the third Test against England. He reasoned that the visitors might not need his batting as Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar were among the runs in the second Test.

India beat England by 336 runs in the second Test in Birmingham on Sunday, July 6, to draw level in the five-match series. The third Test will be played at Lord's from Thursday, July 10, onwards.

During an interaction on the Star Sports show 'Follow the Blues,' Aaron reckoned that Reddy, who didn't contribute much with bat and ball in Birmingham, might not figure in India's playing XI at Lord's.

"Obviously, they (India) are going to take immense confidence going into Lord's. There is not going to be much focus on practice because every single bowler and batter has spent time in the middle, except Nitish Kumar Reddy, who I think might not be a starter at Lord's," he said.

The former India pacer added that Prasidh Krishna might keep his place in the XI, with Shubman Gill and company potentially going in with a four-pronged seam attack along with two spinners.

"India might not need the extra batting now with Washi and Jaddu batting really well. Also, with (Shubman) Gill praising Prasidh (Krishna) towards the end, could be a small hint he has dropped that Prasidh could play. They could go with a four-fast-bowling attack and two really good spinners to back it up," Aaron observed.

Nitish Kumar Reddy scored two runs across his two innings and went wicketless in six overs in the second Test. With Jasprit Bumrah likely to return to the XI, Prasidh Krishna, who picked up a solitary wicket in Birmingham, might have to make way for him if India go with three specialist seamers.

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"This is just the start of the era of Shubman Gill" - Varun Aaron on India's win in ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Shubman Gill registered his first win as India's Test captain in Birmingham. [P/C: Getty]

In the same interaction, Varun Aaron noted that India's win in the second Test against England is just the beginning of Shubman Gill's era as captain.

"There is a lot of history to be made. This is just the start of this Indian team. I think this is just the start of the era of Shubman Gill. He has played like a true champion, like a true leader, and the amount of responsibility he has taken, and he has turned that responsibility into results," he said.

Apart from praising Gill for his performance as batter and captain in Birmingham, the cricketer-turned-commentator appreciated the seam-bowling duo of Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep for running through the England batting lineup on a flat pitch in Jasprit Bumrah's absence.

"Him, Siraj and Akash Deep, especially in the absence of Bumrah, have been incredible. On a wicket that was as flat as this, our bowlers have just outbowled the English side completely. They have got wickets by themselves. They have not depended on the batters to get themselves out, but they have actually bowled the batters out," Aaron elaborated.

Shubman Gill aggregated 430 runs across his two innings in the Birmingham Test. While Akash Deep registered match figures of 10/187 in 41.1 overs, Mohammed Siraj picked up seven wickets while conceding 127 runs in 31.3 overs across the two innings.