File image of Hardik Pandya.© AFP
Former BCCI and Team India selector MSK Prasad has expressed concern regarding India’s decision to select Nitish Kumar Reddy in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Reddy has played only 21 first-class matches to date, scoring at an average of only 21.45. However, after impressing in IPL 2024 and subsequently in India colours in T20Is, Reddy has been fast-tracked into the Test squad. Prasad has warned India that Reddy shouldn’t be used or expected to perform like Hardik Pandya, and expressed concern over his lack of experience.
“I suppose because they picked him earlier, and gave him a chance. They are sure about his batting and that he can bowl 8-10 overs like Hardik Pandya used to bowl. But he is not Hardik, who bowls at 140. He just bowls at 125 to 130kmph,” said MSK Prasad, speaking to Star Sports.
“I just a little concerned with his experience in red-ball cricket because he hasn’t played the format enough. He did take about 25 wickets in a few of the last domestic seasons, but still, I’m concerned because of the kind of role we gave to Hardik back then after whatever Test cricket he had played,” Prasad added.
Prasad was the Chief Selector between 2016 and 2020, a period in which Hardik was introduced into Test cricket after impressing primarily in white-ball cricket. Hardik’s Test career lasted only 11 Tests, and he hasn’t played a red-ball game in over six years. In this phase, Hardik has often been bogged down by injury and needed workload management.
It is perhaps the same worry that Prasad has as Reddy is also incorporated into Test cricket.
While Reddy has 55 first class wickets in 21 games at a good average of 26.01, his batting numbers are far from brilliant, having managed only 708 runs and a solitary century.
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