Nitish Kumar Reddy Shifts to India A Squad Ahead of South Africa Test Series
In a significant squad adjustment ahead of the home Test series against South Africa, young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been released from the Indian team for the first Test match. The 22-year-old player will instead represent India A in their upcoming one-day series against South Africa A.
Schedule and Squad Changes
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed through an official press release that Nitish Kumar Reddy will join the India A squad for the three-match ODI series against South Africa A. This white-ball series is scheduled to take place at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot from November 13 to November 19.
According to the BCCI announcement, Reddy will return to the main Test squad following the conclusion of the India A series. The second Test against South Africa is set to be played in Guwahati from November 22-26, marking the first-ever Test match at this venue which has previously hosted only ODI and T20I matches.
Team Composition and Selection Decisions
The decision to release Reddy comes on the same day that assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate provided insights into the team's composition for the series opener. The coach strongly indicated that Dhruv Jurel would feature in the playing eleven as a pure batter, with wicketkeeping duties handled by Rishabh Pant.
Ten Doeschate emphasized Jurel's recent impressive form, particularly noting his two centuries scored in Bangalore last week. "I don't think you can leave him out for this Test, is the short answer," the coach stated, while acknowledging the challenge of selecting only eleven players from the available talent pool.
The assistant coach also highlighted the team's batting flexibility, mentioning the multiple batting options available through players like Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja. He expressed confidence that both Dhruv Jurel and Rishabh Pant would feature in the first Test lineup.
Squad Updates and Future Plans
The updated Indian Test squad will be led by Shubman Gill as captain, with Rishabh Pant serving as vice-captain and wicketkeeper. The team includes established players like KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj among others.
Meanwhile, the India A squad for the ODI series against South Africa A will be captained by Tilak Varma, with Ruturaj Gaikwad as his deputy. The team features promising talents including Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, and Ishan Kishan, with Nitish Kumar Reddy now added to this contingent.
This strategic move allows the young all-rounder to gain valuable playing experience in the India A setup while ensuring he remains available for the latter part of the Test series against the Proteas.
