Sanjay Manjrekar, former India cricketer, has labeled all-rounder Nitish Reddy as an exceptional talent but also feared that he might be dropped from India Xi to bring more balance to the side in the ongoing BGT 2024.
India, after winning the first Test in Perth by a massive 295-run margin, was humbled in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, as they were crushed by hosts Australia by 10 wickets, leveling the series 1-1.
The caravan now moves to Gabba, Brisbane for the third Test and India will be inspired by their amazing victory in the fourth Test at the same venue on the 2020-21 tour.
The 21-year-old might be India's find of the series, coming off the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Australia. When Indian batting legends were baffled in Perth and Adelaide, Nitish stole the show with a flurry of aggressive strokes, establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with.
Nitish's precision and understanding of the game have helped him to dominate the Australian bowling unit without breaking a sweat. Nitish, who batted at number seven, scored a game-changing 41 in the first Test and 42 in both the first and second innings of the Adelaide Test.
"Exceptional batting talent there, and you can see it. Maybe the kind of batting talent that gets better with higher-quality bowling. He hasn't got many runs in first-class cricket, but you can see the rare batting talent there," Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo.
However, Manjrekar expressed worry about the necessity for the Indian team to strike the appropriate balance following the Adelaide Test. The Indian seamers, known for their ability to take wickets at will, were harsh in their approach to the Australian hitters.
Aside from Jasprit Bumrah, who appeared to be in his league with his swagger, the rest of the pace unit delivered toothless performances on the majority of occasions.
Manjrekar felt that if India thinks of adding another pacer to the mix for the Brisbane Test, Nitish could be the sacrificial lamb in the process. With the possibility of playing him as an all-out batter, Manjrekar feels it is too risky and too early.
"But India also has to think about the balance of the team. India also has to look to make their bowling sharper along with solving the batting issues. Nitish has shown some spark at the moment. It is a bit risky but too early," he added.
The third BGT 2024 Test will be played in Brisbane from December 14.
(ANI inputs)
