Photo via CricTracker

'Punching below his ability' - ex-India coach's big verdict on Nitish Kumar Reddy

Former India fielding coach R. Sridhar has criticized Nitish Kumar Reddy for not meeting the expectations tied to his potential as a future middle-order batter and all-rounder for the national team.

Reddy, who has been groomed with the 2027 ODI World Cup in mind, has struggled with consistency in his 27 international matches, amassing 658 runs (including one century and two half-centuries) and 21 wickets across all formats. His recent T20I series against the West Indies saw modest returns—scoring 9, 21, and 41 runs in three matches—falling short of the impact expected from a player being positioned as a successor to Hardik Pandya.

Sridhar acknowledged Reddy’s capability but noted he is currently underperforming relative to his talent, leaving room for improvement before the World Cup or Pandya’s potential return to form.

Up nextCricket· 2h ago

Bharat Arun, R Sridhar give Nitish Kumar Reddy reality check on becoming next Hardik Pandya