Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has advised the Indian team management to remain patient with Nitish Kumar Reddy despite his inconsistent start in international white-ball cricket. The young all-rounder has been included in the squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, with Hardik Pandya being rested as part of long-term planning for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Nitish finds himself in a familiar situation, having earlier made his ODI debut in Australia when Pandya was unavailable due to injury. While that opportunity did not bring immediate success, Pathan feels that short-term failures should not dictate a player’s future.
“Nitish Kumar Reddy should be given more opportunities, even if he fails. There are not many all-rounders who can bowl at 130 kmph and can bat in the middle order. Hardik Pandya became the player he is now because he was played regularly for the first 2-3 years. The selectors, the team management, and fans will have to be patient with Nitish Kumar Reddy as well, just like they were with Pandya in the past,” Pathan said.
Domestic Performances Show Signs Of Growth
After his initial international stint, Nitish Kumar Reddy has largely featured in domestic white-ball cricket for Andhra during the 2025-26 season. He has taken part in both the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where his performances have shown encouraging signs. The all-rounder has picked up at least one wicket in each of his last eight outings and has also registered a half-century, indicating improvement with both bat and ball.
Pathan acknowledged that Nitish has not yet delivered standout performances at the international level but stressed that potential can only be realized through consistent opportunities.
“If we don’t show patience, then we will never see the potential turn into performances. So far, the performances have not come from Nitish Kumar Reddy. After the Test Hundred in Melbourne, we have not seen anything special from him in Tests, When he has had opportunities in white-ball cricket, even there he has not done well. But there are no other players with such a skillset,” he added.
Nitish also led Andhra in the group stages of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where the team finished seventh in Group B with two wins from seven matches.
Pathan Questions Lack Of Chances For Rishabh Pant
Irfan Pathan also raised concerns about Rishabh Pant’s limited opportunities in the ODI format ahead of the New Zealand series. Despite being retained in the squad, Pant has played only one ODI since November 2022 and spent most of India’s 2025 Champions Trophy campaign on the bench. With several wicketkeeper-batters emerging, Pant has fallen behind in the pecking order, but Pathan believes he still deserves chances.
“Rishabh Pant has fallen behind other wicket-keepers like Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, and Jitesh Sharma, but he should get opportunities as well, right? KL Rahul has cemented his place as the ODI wicket-keeper, and is quite ahead, but if you don’t give Pant any chances, then how will he be able to prove?” Pathan said. Pant’s recent domestic form, where he led Delhi to the quarter-finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, further strengthens the argument for giving him a fair run in the ODI setup.
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