21-year-old all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy looks as a promising candidate for India’s No. 6 position in Test cricket. Sanjay Manjrekar who was impressed by Nitish Kumar Reddy‘s temperament and resilience during the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, believes the youngster has what it takes to excel at the international level.
He emphasized that while Nitish Kumar Reddy’s batting has already turned heads, further development in his bowling could make him a match-winning all-rounder.
Despite criticizing the selectors for sending Nitish Kumar Reddy at number 8 and not at number 6 against Australia in the Boxing Day Test, former Indian cricketer and ace commentator Sanjay Manjrekar compared India’s pacer all-rounder with legendary cricketer and former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri. At a time when Nitish Kumar Reddy was close to hitting his maiden Test century, batting alongside Washington Sundar, Manjrekar shared a cricket record and compared Nitish Reddy with Ravi Shastri.
Nitish Kumar Reddy’s stellar domestic career and a consistent BGT 2024-25
Nitish Kumar Reddy was also a part of the India A squad, which squared off against Australia A, beginning October 31. Ever since scoring 303 runs and taking 3 wickets in IPL earlier this year, Nitish Kumar Reddy’s stocks have risen exponentially. Making his T20I debut in the 2nd T20I against Bangladesh, the right-handed batter scored 74 runs and took two wickets to make heads turn.
In a wide-ranging chat with The Hindustan Times, Nitish Kumar Reddy, 21, spoke about a variety of topics, including his desire to become the best all-rounder in the world, and the kind of messages he has received from Gautam Gambhir and Hardik Pandya. More importantly, Reddy weighed in on the prospect of playing against Pat Cummins, under whom he had his breakthrough IPL season a few months back. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been fast-tracked to the Test team, and he will make his debut in the Perth Test on November 22,
Ahead of a likely debut in Australia, Nitish Kumar Reddy got the chance to prove his worth and get match practice in India’s ‘A’ series against Australia.
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee sprung a surprise with their India squad announcement for the upcoming five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia as they picked uncapped all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy for the tour. While the Andhra star, who made his India debut earlier this month in the T20I series against Bangladesh at home, will be backed for a Hardik Pandya-like role, the selection left former chief selector MSK Prasad concerned.
Nitish Kumar Reddy’s century in Melbourne was not just a personal milestone but also a testament to his composure in high-pressure situations. Adding an emotional touch, his father was present at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to witness his breakthrough moment. This knock followed consistent performances earlier in the series, where Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with valuable 40-run contributions in Perth and Adelaide, establishing himself as a reliable option in India’s middle order.
The young all-rounder delivered a standout moment in the Melbourne Test, scoring a gritty 114 in the first innings despite India succumbing to a 184-run defeat. Batting at No. 8, Nitish Kumar Reddy showcased his ability to counter a world-class bowling attack featuring Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, and Scott Boland.
The Andhra Pradesh all-rounder, at 21 years and 216 days, became the third-youngest Indian to score a maiden Test century on Australian soil. Sachin Tendulkar (18 years and 256 days in 1992) and Rishabh Pant (21 years and 92 days, 2019) are the only two younger Indian players to have scored maiden hundreds in Australia.
Nitish Kumar Reddy played all five Tests in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He ended the series with 298 runs at a decent average of 37.25. Apart from the 114 in Melbourne, he scored 41 & 38* on debut in Perth and 42 in both innings of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide.
With his medium pace, the 21-year-old claimed five wickets at an average of 38. He picked up one-wicket each in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane and two in Sydney.
Over the course of the four-match series, Nitish Kumar Reddy accumulated 298 runs and picked up three wickets, underlining his all-round potential. His adaptability and determination on one of the most challenging tours for a debutant have made him a player to watch in the coming years. His stellar performance as a lower order batter earned him a rightful place for the tour to England . Apart from his all round pyrotechnics with the bat Nitish Kumar Reddy is no odd with the ball too.
Nitish Kumar Reddy may lack experience, but in the previous Ranji Trophy season, he showed his ability to swing the new ball both ways. He was also their highest wicket-taker with 25 scalps at 18.76, which featured a five-for against Mumbai. This ability which needs to be developed especially in swinging conditions in England urged Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel to challenge Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Morne Morkel challenges a Nitish Kumar Reddy to shine with the ball in England
India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, believes that Nitish Kumar Reddy has the potential to deliver “magical” spells with the ball but has urged the promising all-rounder to shoulder more bowling responsibility during the upcoming five-Test series against England.
Nitish Kumar Reddy, who impressed with a century in the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the MCG last year, is currently in contention for the seam-bowling all-rounder’s role alongside Shardul Thakur. While Thakur brings greater experience with 11 Tests under his belt, Reddy is being viewed as a more versatile option in English conditions.
The 21-year-old bowled 26.5 overs across two unofficial Tests against the England Lions earlier this year, and Morne Morkel has now thrown down a challenge to the youngster to step up 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,” Morne Morkel said on the sidelines of India’s training session.
“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 and complement his bowling at that,” he added.
While Morkel refrained from confirming whether Reddy or Thakur would be picked for the opening Test in Leeds, he did underline the importance of striking the right balance in the side.
“In terms of the balance, we’re very happy with that. But for us as a bowling unit, finding that gear that we’re going to need in Test matches is going to be important.”
India will play a three-day intra-squad match from June 13 to 16 at Beckenham as a final tune-up before the first Test at Headingley, Leeds, starting June 20. The match will include players from the main Test squad and the India A team.
The five-match Test series against England will start from June 20 to July 4 and will be played in five venues for nearly two months.The first Test will be played in Leeds, then in Birmingham before moving to London’s iconic Lord’s, and the last two Tests will be played in Manchester and The Oval.
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