Nitish Kumar Reddy has been the talk of the town over the last few months with the fast bowling all-rounder, who is a hot commodity in Indian cricket anyway, unlucky in the playing XI after being picked in the team time and again.
This article highlights the lack of communication between the selectors and the team management, which hampers the formative years of a talented player like Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Nitish Kumar Reddy and the Indian team disconnect
The case
The selection panel led by Ajit Agarkar and the team management have come under scrutiny over the past year due to certain decisions taken by them.
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Some of these decisions include appointing Shubman Gill as captain of the Indian Test and ODI team, forcing players to play domestic cricket and supporting some players a little more than others.
Nitish Kumar Reddy is one such player who the team management has consistently ignored despite his inclusion in the white-ball setup.
The debate
Reddy, who has been part of the last three ODI series that India have played in the absence of Hardik Pandya, has played less than a handful of games in the seven outings that the Men in Blue have played in this format.
The constant ignorance of the NKR captain and coach gives the impression that the selectors and team management are not on the same page when it comes to team selection.
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The numbers don’t lie
Going by Reddy’s numbers when it comes to List A cricket, he has been doing well with both bat and ball, the proof of which is 606 runs in 23 innings at an average of 35.64.
Meanwhile, the fast bowling all-rounder also took 21 wickets at an economy of 5.88, including a hat-trick. He is a player the team can rely on with both the bat and the ball.
The fact that he is also a very good defender both upfield and deep makes him a complete package that can contribute in all three departments of the game.
The big question
If the numbers are to be believed, Nitish Kumar Reddy must be one of the names on the team sheet, but the question is, does the team management really want him in the team, or are the selectors forcing them to persist with Reddy?
Experts like Aakash Chopra have spoken about this very clearly. The former Indian opener was apparently disappointed with the team’s approach towards Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Aakash Chopra blasts Gambhir
Aakash Chopra did not imitate his comments while criticizing head coach Gautam Gambhir for non-selection of Reddy in the first ODI against New Zealand.
In Chopra’s words, “No one should turn around and tell me that this team has troubled us so much. What if we had lost? Would we have lost against Nitish Kumar Reddy? Is he such a bad player? Don’t play him if we had lost. So drop him. Don’t select him. It doesn’t happen like that.”
The decision
The team management will have to decide if they really want Reddy in the team because there is no point in having him in the mix and not giving him any playing time.
If Gill and Gambhir are adamant that Reddy will also warm the bench in the next two matches, then it is better to release him and let him focus on the upcoming matches, including the IPL.
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