There was a time when Team India lacked a fast-bowling all-rounder. How many all-rounders have come under that category? The great Kapil Dev, followed by Irfan Pathan, and perhaps even Ajit Agarkar to some extent. But not many more than that.
However, with the rise of the IPL, we’ve seen a new batch of pace all-rounders making their way to the national team. Stuart Binny, Shivam Dube, and Hardik Pandya are a few notable names. Recently, another name is making waves among cricket fans—Sunrisers Hyderabad’s budding all-rounder, Nitish Kumar Reddy, widely known as Nitish Reddy.
The selectors will have a tough time deciding, as Nitish Reddy is performing exceptionally well with both bat and ball, potentially putting Hardik Pandya on alert. Shivam Dube is also a candidate, but he bowls less often, which gives Nitish Reddy an edge.
Nitish Reddy made his international debut in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. He is currently the highest run-scorer from both teams, with 90 runs in two games. Hardik Pandya is second on the list with 71 runs in the same number of matches. Nitish Reddy is also ahead in terms of wicket-taking, with two wickets in the series so far, while Hardik has taken one.
Nitish Reddy played an outstanding inning in the second T20I at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, scoring 74 runs off just 34 balls, including four fours and seven sixes.
Hardik Pandya vs Nitish Reddy Performance in IPL 2024
Hardik Pandya was named captain ahead of IPL 2024, replacing Rohit Sharma. Despite his efforts, Mumbai Indians performed poorly, winning only four out of 14 games and finishing tenth in the IPL 2024 points table.
In terms of individual performance, Hardik scored 216 runs at an average of 18.00 across 14 matches. He also took 11 wickets, a decent contribution.
Nitish Reddy, on the other hand, played only two matches in IPL 2023. However, in IPL 2024, he drew everyone’s attention, scoring 303 runs in 15 matches and playing a key role in taking Sunrisers Hyderabad to the final. In those 13 matches, he scored 303 runs with a highest score of 76*, averaging 33.67 with a strike rate of 142.92. As a bowler, he managed to take three wickets.
The Future Prospects of Hardik Pandya vs Nitish Reddy
Looking at Team India’s current T20I setup, it seems the selectors will continue searching for new faces, especially after the eventual retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja. Among the 11 players, both Nitish Reddy and Hardik Pandya could easily find a spot. This would give India the flexibility to include an extra batter. Both these all-rounders could serve as the third seamer, each bowling two overs.
