Nitish Reddy scored 182 runs and took two wickets in IPL 2025.
Since the appointment of Gautam Gambhir as India’s new head coach, there has been a significant change in India’s strategy in T20I cricket, particularly in the playing XI combination. In the Bangladesh series in 2024, India went with three spinners, two pacers, and two seam-bowling all-rounders. In the T20I series against England, India were seen playing with three spinners and two seamers, with Arshdeep Singh leading the pace attack while Hardik was the second pacer. While India won the Bangladesh series 3-0, they thrashed England by 4-1.
With the T20 World Cup quickly approaching, the Men in Blue might continue with the same combination. The upcoming Asia Cup 2025 will give India a perfect opportunity to fine-tune its strategy and find the right combination. The Asia Cup will commence on September 9, with India taking on the UAE in the campaign opener.
India are blessed with spin all-rounders like Washington Sundar and Axar Patel, who can win games with both their skills. But they have always been in search of a fast-bowling all-rounder since Kapil Dev. There are limited options with Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Ramandeep Singh, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, but they have their limitations. While Hardik Pandya is a proven finisher with both bat and a clutch player with the ball, Dube and Singh haven’t been that impactful with the ball. Reddy’s performances are improving with every opportunity, but he lacks the experience of playing in pressure games.
Hardik Pandya will be the first-choice pace-bowling all-rounder. But India might seek another option if they decide to go with the same combination. And Reddy could also be the perfect replacement for Hardik if he misses out on any game for any reason. The Baroda all-rounder was not at his best in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Pandya became the first captain to take a fifer in IPL history but struggled with the bat, especially in run chases. There have always been concerns related to Hardik’s fitness.
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While the likes of Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh can hit the ball long, they hardly make any bowling contributions. The Mumbaikar has bowled in 24 T20Is and has managed just 13 wickets at an economy of 9.36. In the IPL 2025, the right-arm pacer bowled just two overs in the entire tournament and conceded 32 runs. Ramandeep, on the other hand, has bowled 20 balls to take a wicket but leaked 42 runs in two matches, at an economy of 12.60. He didn’t even bowl a single over in the entire IPL 2025.
Hence, Nitish Kumar Reddy’s presence becomes more valuable. While Nitish is known for his strokeplay, he has made notable contributions with the ball in both Tests and T20I cricket. The Hyderabad all-rounder scored 90 runs in three T20I innings, averaging an impressive 45.00 and a strike rate of 180.00. He also has one fifty to his name. On the bowling front, the right-arm pacer has taken three wickets in as many matches at an impressive economy of 7.88.
After recovering from an injury, Reddy bowled five overs in the IPL 2025, where he picked two wickets. The 22-year-old has also impressed everyone with his accuracy in Test cricket, especially on the England tour. He has taken eight wickets in seven Tests and scored 343 runs, including a hundred in the Boxing Day Test.
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Additionally, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel praised Reddy, saying he has the potential to deliver “magical” spells with the ball.
“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,” Morkel said on the sidelines of India’s training session before the start of the series.
“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. But for a team, if you can have those bowling options, especially in these conditions, I think he’ll be one to be excited about and complement his bowling at that,” he added.
The upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 will be played in India, where spinners do get some help from the surfaces. Plus, India’s strategy to play with two seamers, two spinners, and multiple all-rounders has worked well for them, having won every T20I series they have played since the T20 World Cup 2024. He can bat at number six and will share the finishing job with Hardik Pandya and bowl a couple of overs if needed. Hence, India should keep a tab on him and keep him in the squad.
