The whitewash against South Africa has put some of the Indian players under immense scrutiny, with Nitish Kumar Reddy being one of them. The young all-rounder, who made his India debut Down Under in the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy, has failed to impress in his recent red-ball outings, especially in home conditions. Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir’s Test approach leans heavily towards backing all-rounders, a move that has opened the door for Nitish to feature more in red-ball cricket despite his limited experience in the format.
Reddy hasn't been utilised well as a bowler in the home conditions, while with the bat, he scored 43, 10 and 0 in his last three innings. He failed to absorb pressure in the crunch situations against South Africa in Guwahati, which has put his place under the scanner.
Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa weighed in on Nitish’s red-ball chances, saying that despite his limited first-class record, India simply cannot overlook a rare fast-bowling all-rounder who can also make an impact with the bat.
"Yes, there are a few that you can really back with talent. I understand Nitish Kumar Reddy's selection. He hasn't really done in first-class cricket, but here comes an all-rounder from India who can bowl fast and bat well as well, and that, in India, comes very few and far between," Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.
"Ravindra Jadeja wasn't ready for Test cricket"
Reddy’s Test journey has begun on a mixed note. Debuting in November 2024, he has 396 runs at 26.40 from 10 matches, including a maiden hundred (114), while also contributing with the ball—signs of a developing all-rounder.
Uthappa said Reddy's selection reflects India’s push to fast-track rare fast-bowling all-rounders. He noted that, much like Ravindra Jadeja, who was backed early by MS Dhoni despite not being fully ready, Reddy is being nurtured with a long-term vision.
"So, you want to fast-track him and give him the opportunity at the highest level, you want to nurture the talent and see if that can be developed into something over a period of time. A lot like what was done with Jadeja. He probably wasn't ready for Test cricket, but Mahi persisted with him," he added.
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