The decision to include him stems from the fact that the Indian team management is likely to play a fourth seamer in the series opener.
The Indian team is set to embark on their biggest challenge in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC 2023-25) cycle when they lock horns against Australia in the high-octane five-match Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), starting November 22.
Now, ahead of the first Test in Perth, it has been understood that the Indian selectors are keen to unleash a debutant all-rounder in the series opener.
Nitish Kumar Reddy, who had a breakout IPL 2024 campaign earlier this year, also managed to impress in the limited opportunities he got in the India jersery in white-ball cricket. The 21-year-old will now look to make his impact in the longest format of the game, if handed over his maiden Test cap.
Speaking about Nitish’s red-ball stats, the Andhra Pradesh batting-all-rounder has featured in 21 first-class (FC) games and has hit one century, two fifties and taken 56 wickets.
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The decision to include Nitish Kumar Reddy in the playing XI stems from the fact that the Indian team management is likely to play him as fourth seamer. The pitch at Perth’s Optus Stadium is anticipated to offer bounce and carry, making Reddy a strong candidate to strengthen the fast bowling lineup.
Also with premier India all-rounder Hardik Pandya not in the Test squad in a bid to manage his workload, Reddy is the only pace-bowling all-rounder in the team for the five-match Test series.
Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur, who was part of India’s last tour to Australia, appears to have slipped in the selection hierarchy.
During the pre-departure press conference, coach Gautam Gambhir backed Nitish’s inclusion and said,
“The decision to pick Reddy ahead of Shardul is also about moving forward. I think we’ve picked the best squad who can do the job for us. We all know how incredibly talented Nitish Reddy is and if given an option, he will deliver for us”.
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