Nitish Kumar Reddy has been sidelined from the T20I series opener between India and Australia, set to be played at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday, October 29. This marks his second straight absence from a white-ball match, following his unavailability for the third ODI in Sydney, a game India won to avoid a series whitewash.
According to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Reddy will miss the first three T20Is owing to a left quadriceps injury sustained during the second ODI in Adelaide. The BCCI confirmed that its medical team is monitoring his recovery closely. In an official statement released after the toss, the board mentioned:
“Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out for the first three T20Is. The all-rounder, who was recovering from his left quadriceps injury sustained during the second ODI in Adelaide, complained of neck spasms, which has impacted his recovery and mobility. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress.”
Nitish Kumar Reddy has featured in four T20Is for India, scoring 90 runs with a top score of 74 against Bangladesh in 2024 and taking three wickets. The 22-year-old impressed for SRH in the IPL, scoring 485 runs at a strike rate of 132.87 and claiming five wickets.
Known for his all-round skills, Reddy will be disappointed to miss three of the five T20Is after a promising ODI debut against Australia, where he hit an unbeaten 19 off 11 balls with two sixes.
India Go Spin-Heavy; Nitish Kumar Reddy ruled Out Of 1st T20I
Under Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership, India opted for a spin-heavy lineup after being put in to bat first in the opening T20I against Australia, featuring Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Axar Patel. All-rounder Shivam Dube is expected to provide additional support to the pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshit Rana.
The Men in Blue enter the series with strong momentum, having recently clinched the 2025 T20I Asia Cup. As the reigning T20 World Cup champions, they will now aim to continue their winning run in the series Down Under.
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