New Delhi: The Nitish Reddy punt has been paying off well for head coach Gautam Gambhir and the Indian team management Down Under. All of 21, it has taken the prodigiously talented Andhra all-rounder only two Test matches to showcase glimpses of the future star that he can become for Team India in the traditional red-ball format.
Nitish was the only silver lining for India in what was an otherwise dismal batting performance from the hosts in the recently concluded pink-ball Test against Australia in Adelaide. Despite finding himself in intense pressure situations in both innings, Nitish stood tall against the famed Aussie pace attack and held his own as he notched up two fighting knocks for the visitors.
If his ability against pace and clean striking of the ball was the highlight of his 54-ball 42 in India’s first innings of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, his fighting spirit and resilience shone through in the second where he top scored with 42 off 47 but his efforts were enough to propel India into a significant lead. The pink-ball Test was not the first time Nitish impressed with his batting.
He had already showcased his quality on his Test debut in Perth where he batted in two different situations in India’s two innings and showcased his skills and flare in both. The 21-year-old scored a gritty 41 off 59 balls, batting in a difficult situation to take India’s total to 150 in their first innings in the Perth Test before smashing an unbeaten 38 off 27 in the second innings.
Nitish was involved in a brilliant partnership with centurion Virat Kohli in the second innings as India posted a huge total of 487/6 (declared) to set the stage for their thumping 295-run victory. In two Tests, Nitish has already notched up 163 runs averaging over 50 and is India’s second-highest run-getter in the series only behind Yashasvi Jaiswal, while batting in the lower middle order and mostly with the team in crisis.
That’s an unreal shot from Nitish!
The reverse scoop for six off Boland 🔥#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/BK7dB25DLy
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 6, 2024
The much-needed Hardik Pandya replacement?
For a number of years, India have struggled to find a proper pace-bowling all-rounder who can replicate the legendary Kapil Dev’s heroics for the team in Tests. Hardik Pandya’s emergence and his heroics almost ended India’s search a few years back until a back injury forced the star all-rounder to take an unprecedented break from red-ball cricket.
It is well known that Hardik’s return to red-ball cricket is next to impossible considering his workload. But India might finally have found an ideal replacement for the star all-rounder in young Nitish, who has all the characteristics, skills, temperament and mindset needed to succeed for India in the longest format of the game.
In his brief stint in Australia so far, Nitish has proved he can be a dependable middle-order batter for India and can solve their all-rounders’ crisis. While his bowling is still work in progress, the Andhra all-rounder has proven his mettle with the bat and can be groomed into a proper all-rounder for India in the coming years if backed and nurtured properly.
Early in his career, Nitish has shown he can thrive under pressure and do well against some of the best bowlers in the world. He seems to have taken head coach Gambhir’s advice – “face the bouncers as if you are taking a bullet for the country” to heart and has played fearlessly, making full use of the opportunities coming his way.
Still a long way to go in his career, Nitih has shown great promise at the start of his international career and the onus is now on the Indian team management to harness his potential and groom him in the right manner to ensure India finally have a world-beating all-rounder in their ranks who can transform their Test fortunes in the years to come.
Nitish Reddy has been exceptional with the bat, showcasing great maturity under pressure in his debut Test series against Australia. The young all-rounder has shown why he can be an ideal replacement for Hardik Pandya in the future if groomed properly. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
