New Delhi: Young and emerging Indian all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is reportedly said to be considered as the seam-bowling-all-rounder for India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later in the year.
The sensational Andhra player has taken the cricket world by storm with his astonishing power-hitting abilities. The additional skillset of rolling the arms makes him a distinguished entity to fit the bill of an all-rounder suited in the pace and bounce conditions of Australia.
Nitish has seen a metamorphosis in his cricket journey after emerging as Sunrisers Hyderabad’s find of IPL 2024. His proficiency in the domestic circuit earned him international debut earlier this month during the three-match T20Is against Bangladesh.
The 21-year-old has played 21 first-class matches since his debut against Kerala in the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy season. He has scored 708 runs in 35 matches at an average of 21.45, including one century and two fifties. The all-rounder has picked up 55 wickets at an average of 26.01 with a couple of five-wicket hauls to his name.
With Hardik Pandya not available for India in the Whites anymore and Shardul Thakur having been sidelined from the Test team in recent times, the selectors have their eyes on the Andhra all-rounder.
According to a report by The Indian Express, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is looking to play Nitish as the next seam bowling all-rounder. However, that doesn’t shuts the door for Shardul Thakur, who played an instrumental role in India’s historic win in the series-decider in Brisbane in their last visit Down Under.
Nitish was included in the 16-member India A squad for the two unofficial Test matches against Australia A, which is scheduled just before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (starts on November 22). Nitish could be tested in the two matches Mackay (October 31-November 3) and MCG (November 7-10).
Thakur, who played his last Test for India in December 2023 against South Africa in Centurion, wasn’t part of the India A squad despite being regular for Mumbai in their Ranji teams. The Express report, nonetheless, mentioned that the selectors will decide between Nitish and Thakur for the key all-rounder’s spot.
