Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that 23-year-old Nitish Kumar Reddy has fallen a touch and has failed to take his potential forward. His remarks came after the first T20I against West Indies, played on October 6 in Lucknow, where Reddy was benched for the game.
Chasing 172, skipper Shreyas Iyer came to the party with his maiden T20I hundred. He scored an unbeaten 102 off 43 balls, laced with 10 fours and six sixes, to help the hosts win the game by eight wickets in 14.4 overs.
Speaking during a discussion on his YouTube channel (Ash Ki Baat), the 40-year-old noted that there was talk of Reddy increasing his pace during IPL 2026, but he looked flat during the ODI series against West Indies. Ashwin said:
“I just feel he has fallen a touch. A lot of people spoke about the increase in his pace in the last IPL, but the way he bowled in the ODI series, he didn’t look very quick and he didn’t swing the ball much either. He just looked very flat. Maybe he had some injury and was trying to make a comeback. He has had a bit of a stop-start career, so I just feel that he is not taking his potential forward. He could do a lot more with what he has got. I don’t know what his work ethic is like or who he works with.”
In two games during the ODI series against West Indies, Reddy managed just one wicket while conceding runs at an economy rate of 8.02. He scored nine runs in his only innings.
“Their confidence is not going towards Nitish Kumar Reddy” – R Ashwin’s blunt take on all-rounder
In the same discussion, Ravichandran Ashwin pointed out that Nitish Kumar Reddy has yet to live up to his potential, while the team management continues to back Shivam Dube for the fast-bowling all-rounder role. Ashwin said:
“India needs a fast-bowling all-rounder, but Nitish Kumar Reddy has so much potential that he should have already been making the cut. He hasn’t. Even now, the Indian team management has full confidence in Shivam Dube. They are saying that Shivam Dube can give us that role and can bowl one or two overs. But even then, their confidence is not going towards Nitish Kumar Reddy. That is a really concerning bit, and Nitish has to look inward to be able to pick it up. I’m sure the more games he plays, the better he will get. But so far, he has not capitalized on his potential as much as he could have.”
Reddy has played seven T20Is, scoring 91 runs, including one half-century, and taking nine wickets.
Edited by Dev Sharma
