Former cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra reckons Nitish Kumar Reddy is being fast-tracked into the national setup with the team looking to groom a reliable all-rounder.
According to Aakash, the Men in Blue are seeking a quality multi-skilled player to compliment Hardik Pandya in the squad.
“I think the match was dedicated to Nitish Kumar Reddy. He was made to bat at No. 4, the same position where you get a lot of scoring opportunities. You don’t get that number quickly. Riyan Parag or Rinku Singh could have got that number but the captain and coach sent Nitish to go bat there because they are fast-tracking him,” Aakash said while speaking on his YouTube channel.
“They do not want an all-rounder who can replace Hardik but is able to perform shoulder-to-shoulder with him while also being available when required,” he added.
Aakash Chopra highlighted how Nitish grabbed the opportunity with both hands against Bangladesh. “For that, he needed to perform well and you had to give him the position where he could have performed well,” he said.
Aakash also mentioned Nitish’s impressive bowling. “They (India) asked Nitish to bowl two overs at the start here. He didn’t get a wicket – no issues. He was asked to come later and bowl the 18th and 20th overs. He would definitely get wickets there. It was like a decisive effort that they had to get Nitish Kumar Reddy to do well,” he said.
Nitish Kumar Reddy starred with both bat and ball in India’s series-clinching 86-run victory over Bangladesh in the second T20I in Delhi on Wednesday (October 9).
Batting at No. 4, the 21-year-old played a blistering knock of 34-ball 74. It was an eye-catching performance in what was just the second T20I of his international career.
His whirlwind innings, including with four boundaries and seven sixes, helped India reach a mammoth total of 221/9 on the board.
With the ball, Nitish returned with the figures of 2 for 23 in his four overs as the hosts restricted Bangladesh to 135/9 in 20 overs.
With this victory, India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The third and final T20I is slated to be held in Hyderabad on Saturday (October 12).
