Of the several big questions that currently come to define the next generation planning of Indian Cricket, including each format, one among the many glaring perspectives surrounds who next after Hardik Pandya. Or shall we say, what next if there’s no Pandya? Having payed the sport for nearly a decade but also being harangued by injuries, that in the last 24-30 months, seem to have become a recurring theme in his career, the brilliantly talented Hardik Pandya is courting the big if.
It’s a question that challenges his match fitness and readily available presence for regular contests, whether or not they take place in India. Pandya, after all is a great solution to several of India’s issues whether it’s about the flexibility of batting in the middle or the lower middle order or the extra option with the ball across formats. Besides, his excellent fielding credentials now also add to his excellence and overall reputation.
Here’s a pure athlete. But what’s also a pure issue at the moment is his lack of match fitness. Not only is he not going to play in the Ireland series, his availability for the England series is subject to fitness clearance.
Amid this situation or should one say, existential realities, someone talented and much younger and hence, rising his journey in the Indian team like Nitish Kumar Reddy becomes all the more important.
Notably, Hardik Pandya’s absence at the moment which is due to a quadriceps strain has sort of given the Indian team management an important opportunity to assess a range of candidates.
Therefore, right arm fast medium bowling all rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy- 10 Tests, 6 ODIs, 4 T20Is, 596 runs,13 wickets, 1 test hundred - becomes a relevant find.
And speaking specifically, an ideal candidate with which India can shape their new future for the times ahead!
Of lately, while Nitish Kumar Reddy was in the one dayers against Afghanistan, spin bowling all rounders like Washington Sundar and Harsh Dubey have also emerged as talented finds for the Indian Cricketing firmament.
Even Harshit Rana has just returned to the squad after a lengthy injury layoff.
And speaking on the kind of talent that Nitish Kumar Reddy is for Team India especially at a time where, as one noted, Hardik Pandya, is subject to availability and match fitness, the Indian team’s Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate suggested that India’s planning extends well beyond identifying immediate replacements.
So what did he underline? Look nowhere, we’ve got it covered for you-
“It (the all-rounder pool) is really good. I would still say the majority of those guys are bowling all-rounders. And when Hardik’s fit, he obviously brings a different element because he’s such a strong batter and such a strong finisher. Sort of role scarcity... it is difficult to find a finisher who gives you overs as well. Those guys are all tracking really nicely. With Nitish, for the last 18 months he’s shown glimpses of how important he can be to this team, particularly in this format. I feel his body’s getting stronger and stronger, and I sort of feel he is the natural successor or backup to Hardik,” he said.
