Can Nitish Reddy Replace Hardik Pandya? Irfan Pathan’s Verdict Sparks Debate

Can Nitish Reddy Replace Hardik Pandya? Irfan Pathan’s Verdict Sparks Debate

With Hardik Pandya’s fitness and form under increasing scrutiny, Indian cricket is facing a critical all-rounder conundrum. Enter Nitish Kumar Reddy—a 22-year-old from Hyderabad whose explosive batting and handy medium pace have caught the eye of selectors and fans alike. Now, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has thrown his weight behind the youngster, declaring that Reddy should have featured earlier in the recent ODI series against New Zealand and could very well serve as Pandya’s long-term backup .

This endorsement isn’t just casual praise—it’s a strategic suggestion at a time when India desperately needs reliable depth in the all-rounder department. The question on everyone’s mind: Is Nitish Reddy Hardik Pandya backup material?

Table of Contents

• Who Is Nitish Kumar Reddy? The Rising Hyderabad Star
• Irfan Pathan’s Blunt Assessment
• Comparing Reddy and Pandya: Skill Sets
• Why India Needs a Pandya Backup Now
• The Path Forward for Nitish Reddy
• Conclusion: Not a Replacement—But a Contingency
• Sources

Who Is Nitish Kumar Reddy? The Rising Hyderabad Star

Nitish Kumar Reddy may not yet be a household name, but his domestic record speaks volumes. Representing Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy and playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, Reddy has consistently delivered with both bat and ball.

In the 2025–26 domestic season, he scored over 500 runs at a strike rate of 92 and picked up 18 wickets with his brisk seam bowling. His ability to clear the boundary—especially against spin—and bowl tight lines in the middle overs makes him a rare dual-threat in India’s current talent pool.

Irfan Pathan’s Blunt Assessment

Speaking after India’s historic ODI series loss to New Zealand, Irfan Pathan didn’t mince words. “Nitish Reddy should have played in the first or second ODI,” he said. “He bowls at 130+ km/h, can hit big sixes, and brings energy. In a series where we lacked fight, he could’ve changed the momentum” .

Pathan emphasized that Reddy’s value isn’t just in replacing Pandya, but in offering a different kind of balance—one less reliant on death bowling and more focused on middle-overs control and aggressive lower-order hitting.

Comparing Reddy and Pandya: Skill Sets

While both are all-rounders, their profiles differ significantly:

Attribute	Hardik Pandya	Nitish Reddy
Batting Role	Finisher / Power Hitter (No. 6–7)	Aggressive Middle Order (No. 5–6)
Bowling Style	Fast, Yorker Specialist (Death Overs)	Medium Pace, Line & Length (Middle Overs)
Experience	80+ ODIs, World Cup Finals	Yet to debut (as of Jan 2026)
Physical Load	High injury risk due to workload	Fresh, low-mileage body

Reddy isn’t a Pandya clone—he’s a complementary option. And in modern cricket, versatility often trumps replication.

Why India Needs a Pandya Backup Now

Hardik Pandya’s recent struggles—both physical and technical—have exposed India’s overreliance on one player. Consider these facts:

• Pandya missed 12 of India’s last 20 white-ball matches due to back issues.
• In the NZ series, India’s No. 6 and No. 7 batters averaged just 18.3.
• No other Indian all-rounder has bowled 10+ overs in an ODI since Washington Sundar in 2023.

As ESPNcricinfo notes, “Teams that win World Cups don’t rely on one all-rounder—they have options” . Without a credible Plan B, India’s middle order remains fragile.

The Path Forward for Nitish Reddy

For Reddy to become a genuine Nitish Reddy Hardik Pandya backup, the BCCI must:

1. Fast-track him into the ODI squad for the upcoming South Africa tour.
2. Give him consistent game time in the NCA’s high-performance program.
3. Pair him with mentors like Pathan or Yuvraj Singh for tactical development.

As Pathan wisely added, “Talent isn’t enough. He needs trust, not just trials.”

For more on India’s all-rounder pipeline, see our analysis on [INTERNAL_LINK:future-of-indian-all-rounders-post-pandya-era].

Conclusion: Not a Replacement—But a Contingency

Nitish Reddy isn’t here to dethrone Hardik Pandya. He’s here to ensure India never finds itself stranded without a genuine all-rounder again. Irfan Pathan’s endorsement is a wake-up call: invest in depth now, or pay the price later. With the 2027 ODI World Cup on the horizon, nurturing Reddy isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Sources

• Times of India: Ind vs NZ: Can Nitish Reddy be Hardik Pandya’s backup? Former cricketer gives verdict
• ESPNcricinfo: Analysis: The All-Rounder Gap in Modern ODI Cricket
• Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI): Domestic Player Performance Database