India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has praised young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy for his raw bowling talent but stressed the need for him to show greater consistency with the ball. The 21-year-old, who cracked a century during the Boxing Day Test against Australia last year, is in contention for the seam-bowling all-rounder slot in India’s five-Test series against England, beginning later this month. While speaking on the sidelines of India’s training camp, Morkel remarked, “I think he (Reddy) is skilful. He is a guy who can bowl that magical ball. So for him, it is about creating that consistency, and that's something we want to work on. It's important for his game as well.” Despite his growing reputation as a batter, Reddy has bowled just 26.5 overs across two unofficial Tests against the England Lions earlier this year. Morkel believes that’s not enough. He noted, “I've had conversations with him where I've challenged him to bowl a bit more. I want to see the ball more in his hands. We all know what he can do with the bat.” Reddy’s challenge is clear: step up as a genuine all-rounder in English conditions. While Shardul Thakur, with 11 Test matches to his name, offers more experience, Reddy is being viewed as a dynamic long-term option. Read also: Watch: Jansen’s Three-Try Catch Sends Smith Packing in WTC Final India’s Bowling Unit Eyes Test Match Sharpness Before England Series Morkel refused to speculate whether Reddy or Thakur would feature in the playing XI for the opening Test in Leeds. However, he did highlight the importance of selecting a well-balanced attack. He said, “In terms of the balance, we're very happy with that. But for us as a bowling unit, finding that gear that we're going to need in Test matches is going to be important." The former South African quick also touched on preparations against England’s aggressive batting style. “We've spoken a lot about how we're going to go about playing and match-up England. But I think so far we're in the right way in terms of doing the preparation.” With a four-day warm-up fixture against India A approaching, Morkel emphasised match fitness. He said, “We’ve only had three sessions so far. We’ve got a four-day warm-up game starting in two days’ time. I’m going to be more interested to see how our guys go in that four-day game." He concluded by underscoring the importance of readiness, saying, “In England, the conditions can suit you and it's overcast, but still it's going to be good surfaces. I think we're going to be testing that.”