Nitish Kumar Reddy has all the raw skills to excel in international cricket. Registering a Test hundred in Australia at just 21 isn’t a small feat. The all-rounder has already represented India across formats. That means Nitish has to stand up to expectations.
Juggling batting and bowling isn’t easy. We all see Ravindra Jadeja as one of the best all-rounders, but it took him years to balance both skills. He, like Nitish, had all the skills but couldn’t get it together for the longest time. But cricket fans are ruthless; they don’t care that he’s just 22.
At times, it feels like the team management has been harsh on Nitish as well. Recently, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate claimed that the all-rounder ‘ends up not doing a heck of a lot’ when given the opportunity.
Why Nitish Reddy should be backed
Many scrutinised the comments, and in the following game, Nitish emerged as one of India’s best performers. With the ball, he finished with better economy than Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. And only Virat Kohli managed to score more than.
Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan knows how tough being an all-rounder can be, especially at such a young age. He thinks Nitish was one of the positives for India against New Zealand, despite losing the series 1-2. In Indore, he displayed the ability to rotate strike and hit the big shots if need be.
“Nitish Kumar Reddy was a positive. He scored a fifty with the bat, and Reddy played instead of Washington Sundar in Rajkot. I felt he should have played from the first game. The way he batted, Reddy showed he had the potential to play big shots and can rotate strike. Reddy was also involved in good partnerships in both games. Reddy can play those big shots easily, whether it’s the pull shot or playing straight,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.
With the bowl, he gave away just 53 runs in 8 overs. Considering he bowled in the middle over and his speed hovers around 125-135, there are exceptional numbers for a fifth bowler. Pathan thinks Gautam Gambhir should persist with Nitish, especially considering that Hardik Pandya, India’s premier pace-bowling all-rounder, isn’t always available due to injuries.
“The way Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled, he touched speeds of 135. It’s a decent speed, and it shows he has the potential to be Hardik Pandya’s backup. Even if Reddy fails, the management should persist with him, and India will eventually get a good all-rounder,” he added.
Cricket
IND vs NZ T20Is: 5 selection headaches for Gambhir, SKY with 5 T20Is left for T20 World Cup
