Nitish Kumar Reddy ruled out of Ireland, England tours due to injury
New Delhi, June 23
India have suffered a major setback ahead of their limited-overs tours of Ireland and England as all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out due to a left quadriceps injury that worsened during the third ODI against Afghanistan in Chennai, according to ESPNcricinfo.
According to the report, Reddy initially picked up the injury while bowling in the first ODI in Dharamsala and was subsequently rested for the second match in Lucknow. Although he returned for the final ODI in Chennai, he bowled six overs, conceding 42 runs, after which he reportedly experienced discomfort.
The all-rounder will now undergo rehabilitation at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for at least a month, to regain fitness ahead of India's two-Test tour of Sri Lanka in August, for which the schedule is yet to be announced.
The development comes as India are already without another key all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, who was earlier ruled out of the England and Ireland tour while recovering from a leg injury sustained during a conditioning session at the CoE following IPL 2026. No official timeline has been set for his return.
In the absence of Reddy, players like Shivam Dube and Harshit Rana could be considered as backup options, though both primarily offer single-dimensional skills. Selectors may also look at Suryansh Shedge as a like-for-like replacement after his recent performances for India A in Sri Lanka, where he scored a half-century but had modest returns with the ball.
India are scheduled to play two T20Is in Ireland on June 26 and 28, followed by a five-match T20I series in England starting July 1, which will be followed by three ODIs. The Ireland fixtures will mark India's first T20Is since their World Cup triumph earlier this year, with Shreyas Iyer set to lead the side in the format.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, I'm worried about our all-rounder depth. Hardik is also out, and now Nitish. Shivam Dube is good but not a proper all-rounder. Why not give Suryansh Shedge a chance? He did well for India A recently.
Yaar, first Hardik, now Nitish—our pace all-rounder cupboard is looking bare. But I'm glad the management is being cautious and not rushing him back. Better to miss a few tours than have a career-ending injury. Bangalore's CoE is world-class, he'll be in good hands.
Saw him bat in the IPL last season, he's got real talent. But India's tour schedule is insane—ODIs, then T20Is in Ireland and England, then Tests in Sri Lanka. No wonder players keep breaking down. BCCI should consider rotating the squad more.
Honestly, I think the selectors should look beyond just all-rounders for now. If nobody's fit, play proper batsmen and bowlers. Why force a square peg in a round hole? Shreyas Iyer as captain for T20Is is a good move though—he's been in great form.
Feel for the lad. He's young and probably worked hard to get into the national team. Hopefully this doesn't dent his confidence. India will miss his lower-order hitting in England, but maybe Venkatesh Iyer or someone similar can step up?
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