Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach, explained the choice of Nitish Kumar Reddy for ODIs to enhance his international experience and develop him as a seam-bowling all-rounder for next year’s ODI World Cup in South Africa, highlighting that Hardik Pandya is currently unable to bowl 10 overs.
Why Reddy was picked and withdrawn from the Asian Games
Gambhir highlighted India’s lack of middle-order seam bowlers and proposed Reddy as a key addition. Due to injuries, player availability has been compromised. Reddy honed his skills at the BCCI Centre of Excellence and excelled in the T20I series against Afghanistan, taking three wickets in both the second and third matches. He withdrew from the Asian Games squad to gain ODI experience against the West Indies, with Gambhir stressing that increased international exposure will further develop Reddy’s abilities.
He said, “We want to expose him to most of the international games because we know how important he is. Whether it’s in the 50-over format or going forward in T20S as well.” Reddy will benefit from being removed from the T20 format for the Asian Games and will have more playing time, Gambhir continued.
What about Hardik Pandya’s return
When asked what will happen when Hardik Pandya returns, Gambhir said India can even play both Reddy and Hardik in the same eleven. He said, “The more the merrier.” Gambhir mentioned that Hardik’s limited participation since the IPL means he isn’t ready to bowl 10 overs in ODIs. The team is cautious about his return to international play to avoid physical strain. Hardik is included in the India A squad, and a strong performance could lead to his return to the T20I and ODI teams.
Gambhir indicated that Reddy missed tours due to an injury in ODIs against Afghanistan and has not played sufficient cricket since the IPL, emphasising the importance of game time for his development. He also noted that cultivating two seam-bowling all-rounders will benefit India ahead of the World Cup next year.