India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has thrown his weight behind Nitish Kumar Reddy as a key part of the team’s long-term ODI plans, describing the youngster as the “natural successor or backup” to Hardik Pandya.
Speaking in a BCCI video, ten Doeschate highlighted the unique value Hardik brings to India’s white-ball setup. While India possess several bowling all-rounders, the coach stressed that finding a player capable of finishing innings with the bat while also contributing meaningful overs remains a rare commodity in modern cricket.
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Hardik’s latest injury setback has once again forced India to explore alternative seam-bowling all-rounder options. Among the candidates, Nitish Kumar Reddy has emerged as the most promising prospect. The 23-year-old has impressed across formats over the last 18 months, and the coaching staff believes his development is moving in the right direction.
Ten Doeschate praised Nitish’s steady progress, noting that the youngster has repeatedly shown glimpses of the impact he can have in ODI cricket. He also pointed to the player’s improving physical strength as a positive sign for his future role in the national side.
The comments gain added significance with the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia firmly on India’s radar. Conditions in South Africa are expected to favour pace bowling, meaning India could often field three specialist seamers. In such scenarios, contributions from lower-order batters and bowling all-rounders become crucial.
The assistant coach also expressed satisfaction with India’s growing fast-bowling resources, mentioning emerging names such as Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Prince Yadav and Auqib Nabi. According to him, India’s pace cupboard suddenly looks well-stocked, providing healthy competition and greater depth.
While replacing Hardik Pandya’s unique combination of power-hitting and seam bowling remains a difficult challenge, India’s management appears convinced that Nitish Kumar Reddy is currently the closest option. With the next World Cup cycle underway, the youngster’s growth could prove vital to India’s ambitions on the global stage.
