India have picked three rookies in the Test squad for the coming Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Australia, one of which is seam-up all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has moved up the ranks since his Indian Premier League (IPL) exploits earlier this year at breakneck speed to now stand at the cusp of a possible Test debut. However, former India pacer Dodda Ganesh believes fast-tracking him “serves no purpose”.
Reddy, who was in Australia with the ‘A’ team before India’s Test squad arrived, was picked for the BGT along with the uncapped Abhimanyu Easwaran and Harshit Rana for the five-Test series beginning November 22 in Perth.
Reddy first showcased his skills on the big stage for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024, earning him a call-up to India’s T20 squad against Bangladesh. His 74-run knock and two-wicket spell in the second match of the series earned him more recognition, and eventually a place in the Test squad.
In his four innings of two unofficial Tests against Australia ‘A’ earlier this month, Reddy’s highest was 38 and he took just one wicket.
Ahead of the opening Test of the BGT, former India coach Ravi Shastri has tipped Reddy to make his Test debut in Perth as his batting lower down the order and seam-up bowling can lend balance to the visitors’ playing eleven.
However, former pace Ganesh feels that call will be a bit too soon, if taken.
“This fast-tracking of Nitish Reddy for Tests serves no purpose. He is still undercooked to be playing the longer format,” Ganesh wrote on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).
He said that the Indian think-tank, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir, should instead opt for a specialist in the playing eleven — be it a bowler or a batter.
“Either pick a genuine bowler, or go with a genuine batter if you feel the batting needs to be bolstered,” Ganesh added.
Shastri, who felt going in with two spinners in pacer-friendly Perth will be luxury, said that Reddy “would be my pick”.
“Do they (Indian team management) want to risk going in with two spinners or do they want to take Nitesh Reddy? Reddy will have to do a job like Shardul Thakur did as the fourth seamer. He can bat a bit, give the bowlers a little bit of respite so that they can bowl in short spells…and be someone who will have to be good for those eight to 10 overs that he bowls. So that would be my pick, seeing the conditions,” the former India coach had said while speaking on ‘The ICC Review’.
