Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Nitish Kumar Reddy should have been chosen in the first ODI against New Zealand, which ended on Sunday, January 18. Following Reddy’s performance in the third ODI, Pathan believes India should stick with the kid even if he hits a tough patch.
Reddy was drafted into the playing XI for the second ODI in place of the injured Washington Sundar but made little contribution. However, he was entrusted with more responsibility in the series decider. Though he didn’t take a wicket in his eight overs, Reddy stood up to be counted with the bat, scoring a patient 53 and adding an invaluable 88-run stand with Virat Kohli when India were chasing 338.
However, Reddy remains one of the shining lights for India during an otherwise gloomy series defeat. The former cricketer lauded the 22-year-old’s ability to bowl at around 135 kmph and felt he can be a long-term replacement for Hardik Pandya in the Indian team.
“Nitish Kumar Reddy was a positive. He scored a fifty with the bat and Reddy played instead of Washington Sundar in Rajkot. I felt he should have played from the first game. The way he batted, Reddy showed he had the potential to play big shots and can rotate strike. Reddy was also involved in good partnerships in both games,” said Pathan on his YouTube channel.
“Reddy can play those big shots easily, whether it’s the pull shot or playing straight. The way Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled, he touched speeds of 135. It’s a decent speed and it shows he has the potential to be Hardik Pandya’s backup. Even if Reddy fails, the management should persist with him and India will eventually get a good all-rounder,” he added.
Irfan Pathan added that Harshit Rana’s all-round efforts were another significant plus for India in the series. He was particularly impressed by Rana’s batting performances in the first and third ODIs, where he shown poise and intent under duress.
“The way Harshit Rana has batted – he scored 29 in the first game and helped India add 99 runs with Virat Kohli. Rana played those big shots and he made Devon Conway his bunny, getting him out in all three matches. But Rana must bowl better against the right-handers. If you look at the numbers, he averages 15.7 against left-handers but averages 34.6 against the right-handers,” said Pathan.
