Nitish Kumar Reddy’s growing value to India’s ODI set-up has garnered much praise. Sunil Gavaskar After the all-rounder’s impressive performance in the first ODI against Afghanistan in Dharamsala on Saturday.In a rain-shortened 25-over match, Indian captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first. Afghanistan got off to a strong start, largely thanks to a century Rahmanullah GarbazWho scored 102 runs off just 51 balls. However, it was Reddy’s breakthrough that swung the momentum in India’s favour.The young all-rounder produced a precise yorker to dismiss Garbaz, who conceded 2 for 31 in his four overs. This wicket proved to be decisive as India mounted an impressive reply to bowl out Afghanistan for 194 to complete a comfortable seven-wicket win.“Nitish Kumar Reddy got a big wicket of Rahmanullah Garbaz with a great yorker. If you can bowl a yorker like that, you become a valuable asset,” Gavaskar told JioStar.The former India captain highlighted how Reddy’s yorker changed the course of the innings when Garbaz tried to make room for himself only to see his stumps crumble.Gavaskar said, “Every time he tried something fancy, he scored runs. But every time he went back to the yorker, it worked.”Gavaskar also emphasized the strategy that Reddy brings to the Indian team through his all-round abilities.“So, it’s carrying on. India now have a player in Nitish Kumar Reddy who can play the role of fifth or sixth bowler. Depending on the pitch and match situation, he gives flexibility to the captain and the selectors. ‘Pick me as a batsman, pick me as a bowler, I’m ready.’ This is a huge plus for any team,” Gavaskar said.Reddy’s rise has gained momentum in the last one year. Although he has long been regarded as a promising batsman, his bowling has improved significantly and is becoming an increasingly valuable part of his game.The 2026 IPL season reflects this development. Along with scoring 302 runs, Reddy took eight wickets and regularly picked up important hits for his team. It also turned out to be his most productive IPL campaign in four seasons so far, further strengthening his case as a genuine all-round option for India.
