Aakash Chopra praised Nitish Kumar Reddy for his bowling skills, mentioning that the Andhra Pradesh all-rounder is on track to become a successor to Hardik Pandya.
In the first ODI between India and Afghanistan at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on June 13, Reddy delivered an impressive spell, taking two wickets in four overs, including that of centurion Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Reddy’s yorker knocked over the middle stump of the Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter, and he conceded 31 runs in his spell.
Chopra noted that India has long been in search of seam-bowling all-rounders, especially given Hardik’s frequent injuries.
“Let’s discuss Nitish Kumar Reddy. There has been a search for Hardik Pandya’s replacement. We previously searched for Kapil Dev’s replacement. Manoj Prabhakar came for a time, but maybe not at the same level,” Chopra mentioned in a video on his YouTube channel.
“Hardik played in Bangladesh, and I interviewed him there. He remarked that we wouldn’t look for a replacement for Kapil Dev anymore. He was just starting his career, and he was right. However, he won’t be around forever as he only plays limited white-ball formats,” he added.
“Nitish Kumar Reddy is another chapter of Bharat Ek Khoj” – Aakash Chopra after 1st ODI
Chopra, a former India opener, suggested that Reddy has improved his bowling and praised him for recovering well after conceding a six to Gurbaz.
“We have tried several players but haven’t found the results we desired. Nitish Kumar Reddy is another chapter in Bharat Ek Khoj. His bowling has developed. He began with a straight six but then got Rahmanullah’s stumps with a yorker and took another wicket,” he said.
Reddy enjoyed a successful campaign with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL this year. Chopra pointed out the areas of improvement in Reddy’s bowling.
“He has been effective in tough overs and shows that what you saw in the IPL isn’t a one-off. He can do it here too. He is bowling more overs with good seam position, speed, and control. Reddy’s success is crucial for Indian cricket,” Chopra stated.
In a rain-shortened match, Afghanistan scored 194 in 24.5 overs. Chasing 195 in 25 overs, India won by seven wickets with 13 balls remaining. Indian captain Shubman Gill finished unbeaten on 84 off 66 balls, while Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul contributed with strong performances.