Nitish Kumar Reddy is set to make his Test debut for India in the upcoming first Test against Australia at WACA, Perth, on November 22. Reddy, who recently earned his maiden Test call-up, has impressed India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir with his work ethic, making him a strong candidate for the debut. The Perth pitch, known for assisting seamers with extra bounce, makes Reddy’s inclusion significant as India looks for an additional seam bowling option.
The Indian management is eyeing Reddy as the fourth seam bowler, hoping he can replicate the all-rounder role often filled by Hardik Pandya. With regular captain Rohit Sharma unavailable for the first Test, Jasprit Bumrah will lead the side in his absence.
Reddy’s rise to prominence came during the 2024 IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he scored 303 runs and took three wickets. However, he also has a solid record in first-class cricket, with one century, two fifties, and 56 wickets from 21 matches. His strong domestic season earned him an India call-up for white-ball cricket, where he impressed with the bat, scoring a fifty in just his second game against Bangladesh.
As India prepares for the Test series, questions remain over the other seam bowling options alongside Bumrah. Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Prasidh Krishna are in the squad, while the BCCI has asked Mohammed Shami to play more domestic matches before joining the team. This leaves the final bowling lineup for the first Test still in flux.
