India’s pace-bowling all-rounder puzzle persists as Nitish Kumar Reddy fails to impress, managing a bowling average of 39.62.
The 22-year-old Nitish Kumar Reddy entered into India’s Test setup to write a new chapter in the country’s perpetual quest for a reliable pace-bowling all-rounder. While he has shown flashes of promise with the bat, his bowling has failed to convince, and the void in this pivotal role remains unfilled for Team India.
When Nitish Kumar Reddy was drafted into the India Test side in 2024, expectations were substantial. After all, India have struggled for years to find a seam-bowling all-rounder who can succeed overseas and provide the team with crucial balance. But across nine Tests so far, Nitish’s bowling has not set the stage alight.
He has bowled in 13 innings, sent down 456 deliveries (76 overs), taken just eight wickets at an average of 39.62, with best figures of 2-42. His strike rate stands at 57, and his economy is 4.17 per over, numbers that point to a support act, not the match-turner India require in this slot.
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Batting brings hope, bowling falls behind
If Reddy’s bowling hasn’t yet prospered, his batting at least offers some positivity. He has scored 386 runs in 14 innings at an average of 29.69, including one century and a few vital contributions lower down the order, often offering resistance even when wickets have tumbled at the other end.
But being “good with the bat, not with the ball” is an incomplete recipe for an all-rounder’s place in a modern Test XI, especially when the other batting options in the domestic and A team circuits are far better equipped for big runs, both technically and temperamentally.
The limitations in Reddy’s bowling have recently come to a head. Ahead of the crucial Test series against South Africa, he was released from the main squad by the selectors for the first Test.
Adding to his woes, a spate of small injuries, including a left quadriceps issue and persistent neck spasms, cut into his rhythm and denied him the continuity so vital for young cricketers trying to cement their place at the highest level.
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India’s all-rounder dilemma
India’s desire for a seam-bowling all-rounder is not new. Ever since the days of Kapil Dev, the national side have cycled through a long list of contenders, from Irfan Pathan and Hardik Pandya to Shardul Thakur. However, consistent success, especially in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries, has remained elusive.
Unlike his predecessors, Nitish is a more complete batter but falls short as a bowler compared to those like Shardul or Hardik. The Indian management, as was seen in the recent selection decision, would rather opt for a specialist batter at number six than persist with a bits-and-pieces option who does not significantly bolster the attack or tide over the requirement of giving the main pacers of rest spells.
What should Nitish Reddy do?
If Nitish Kumar Reddy wishes to don the white flannels for India again, introspection and a recalibration of goals are required. His best bet lies in a return to domestic cricket, focusing keenly on bowling long spells for his state side, learning to build pressure, and developing skills to take wickets with the old ball.
Adding subtle variations and pace to make his bowling a true secondary string, if not his primary craft, would be a must.
He must evolve from being a batter who bowls to a genuine all-rounder who can impact games with both skills. This may require technical changes, enhanced fitness, and mental fortitude, but the path is not impossible, it simply demands discipline and big performances.
Nitish Kumar Reddy’s journey is instructive: unfulfilled potential is sometimes a result of limited opportunities, sometimes a reflection of a larger issue, the lack of a genuine pace-bowling all-rounder in India’s system.
For Reddy, the next chapter is a return to domestic cricket, huge improvements with the ball, and a comeback built on evidence, not just hope. And, for Indian Test cricket, the quest for a quality seam-bowling all-rounder is set to continue.
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