New Delhi: Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan He said that Indian all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy can play an important role in the batting line-up of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).Hyderabad will begin their campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28. While the focus is on players like Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, etc. Ishan KishanHeinrich Klaasen and Liam Livingstone, Pathan said Reddy could provide balance after a dip in form last season.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan said of NKR, “If he plays his role well, I think he can act as the glue in this unit, which is otherwise very aggressive. It will be interesting to see how Hyderabad rise to the challenge.”He also pointed to the change in Reddy’s numbers from 2024 to 2025. “We saw his numbers drop from last year. In 2024, he scored over 300 runs and his strike rate was good. But what happened last year? His runs almost halved to around 180, and his strike rate dropped to around 119 as a batsman. In 11 innings, he got opportunities at number four, so, he’s taking advantage of those opportunities. failed,” as reported by news agency ANI.Reddy won the ‘Emerging Player of the Season’ award in 2024 after scoring 303 runs at a strike rate of 143 with two half-centuries and taking three wickets. In 2025, he managed to score 182 runs in 13 matches at an average of 22.75 and a strike rate of around 119, with a highest of 32 runs with two wickets.Also talked about the absence of Pathans. Pat Cumminswho is set to miss the early part of the season due to injury. He said that the team will miss his leadership.“His absence will definitely affect how the game is managed. When a young player is under pressure, they look to a senior player for guidance. It will be difficult for Hyderabad not to have him regularly in the dressing room initially. So, from that point of view, his absence will definitely be felt,” he said.“Not having Pat Cummins at the start is a big factor. His bowling and his captaincy have always been exceptional, and his leadership is often talked about. Last year, he shared 16 wickets with Harshal Patel. Even before that, he had taken 18 wickets in a season. His batting is also very important. He can hit big shots when he comes in around number eight and the aggression that Hyderabad has created has largely come from captain Cummins.Pathan added that Ishan Kishan will have a key role as captain in Cummins’ absence. He cited Kishan’s recent performances, including his run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) where he scored 517 runs in 10 matches with two centuries and two half-centuries, which led to his return to the national team and part of the T20 World Cup-winning campaign.“This time, due to Pat Cummins’ absence, you will see Ishan Kishan as the captain. Ishan Kishan’s graph is on the upswing. Playing for Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he led the team as captain and lifted the trophy, now the onus will be on him,” he said.He added, “We saw in the World Cup as well that he batted brilliantly. When a player has that kind of confidence, it makes sense to give him the captaincy. Abhishek Sharma can be made the captain, there was also talk of him being appointed vice-captain by Hyderabad, but it is better to go with Ishan Kishan”.
