Reddy picked two wickets in the first ODI for India against Afghanistan.
All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy received accolades from former India captain Sunil Gavaskar after the all-rounder’s performance in the opening ODI against Afghanistan in Dharamsala on June 13. Shubman Gill, the captain of the home team, won the toss and chose to bowl first in the rain-shortened 25-over match.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scored for Afghanistan, making 102 off 51 balls, with 8 fours and 8 sixes. Gurbaz's wicket turned out to be a game-changer. India bowled Afghanistan out for 194 runs, as they were once looking good to score 220+.
Shubman Gill made 84* in the chase and led India to a 7-wicket win and went up 1-0 in the three-match ODI series.
Gurbaz was dismissed by Nitish Kumar Reddy with a searing yorker, and the all-rounder finished with 2/31 in his four overs.
"Nitish Kumar Reddy picked up a huge wicket of Rahmanullah Gurbaz with a perfect yorker. If you can nail yorkers like that, you become a valuable asset. Every time he tried something fancy, it went awry. But every time he went back to the yorker, it worked," Gavaskar said on JioStar.
He believes the all-rounder's bowling gives India an additional tactical option going forward.
"So, here's the takeaway. India now has a player in Nitish Kumar Reddy who can fill the role of a fifth or sixth bowler. Depending on the pitch and match situation, he gives the captain and selectors flexibility. 'Pick me as a batter, pick me as a bowler—I am ready.' That is a huge plus for any team," Gavaskar said.
Reddy has found brilliant form of late, as he scored 302 runs in the IPL 2026 for Sunrisers Hyderabad and also picked 8 wickets as well. He has provided India with a viable option to Hardik Pandya.