Warning bells ring for Nitish from Indian camp

• Reddy failed to impress in India's loss to New Zealand after Sundar's injury return. (88)
• Coach Doeschate says Reddy isn't justifying chances despite team's backing. (82)
• India erred by playing extra pacer; NZ spinners thrived, leveling the ODI series. (88)

Brought back into the playing XI after Washington Sundar’s injury, allrounder Nitish Reddy failed to make an impact during India’s seven-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the second ODI held at the Niranjan

Shah Stadium in Rajkot. Reddy, an allrounder, managed 20 off 21 and bowled two wicketless overs on Wednesday.

Indian assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate admitted that despite being handed multiple opportunities, Reddy hasn’t been able to justify the backing.

“With Nitish, we keep talking about developing him and getting him game time and then when you do get him game time, he often ends up not doing a heck of a lot in the games,” ten Doeschate told reporters after the match.

The 22-year-old allrounder has struck one century across formats since making his debut against Bangladesh in October 2024. So far, he has played 10 Tests, three ODIs and four T20Is in which he has scored a combined 533 runs.

Doeschate indicated Reddy has to seize the chances coming his way.

“For someone who’s making their way, particularly with the bat tonight (Wednesday), it was that perfect chance where you’re walking in that situation and you’ve got a chance to spend 15 overs at the wicket. You really have to take those chances to push your case to be selected,” Doeschate said.

In hindsight, Doeschate admits India erred by playing an extra pacer as conditions suited the slow bowlers in Rajkot. Batting first, India posted 284/7 largely thanks to KL Rahul’s fighting century Shubman Gill’s fifty. New Zealand chased down the target with relative ease to make it 1-1 in the three-match series.

“If you look at the combinations we have played in the past, we do like the extra spinner. To bring Ayush (Badoni) into the squad at the very last minute with Washy (Washington Sundar) going down in the (last) game, we thought Nitish should be better suited on this track,” Doeschate said.

“Looking at the way the New Zealand spinners bowled, we could have done (it) with another spinner,” he added.