No Nitish Kumar Reddy in IND vs SA 1st Test, India coach confirms

India cricket team star Nitish Kumar Reddy is unlikely to make it to the playing XI for the IND vs SA 1st Test, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate informed on Wednesday. The Andhra Pradesh all-rounder was last seen in action during the ODI series against Australia following which he was ruled out due to a quadrecips injury. IND vs SA 1st Test will be held at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata and is scheduled to commence from November 14 onwards.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to warm the bench in IND vs SA 1st Test

Speaking to reporters ahead of the IND vs SA 1st Test, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said that Nitish was likely to be excluded from the playing XI given the challenge India will face in Kolkata. He acknowledged that the team’s position on the all-rounder hasn’t changed while also noting that he didn’t get a chance in Australia.

“Our position hasn’t changed on Nitish. He didn’t get a chance in Australia. But looking at the challenge here, I think he’ll miss out from the XI this week,” Ryan ten Doeschate said.

In the last Test series that he featured in – which was the two-match series at home against West Indies – Nitish bowled just four overs and batted only once. The all-rounder’s exclusion from the playing XI will pave way for Dhruv Jurel to make it to the team – an asset that Team India would want to milk given his red-hot form. The keeper-batter slammed twin centuries for India A against South Africa A and looks in promising touch.

While India’s top-order will remain untouched, it remains to be seen if India will go ahead with a specialist batter in the form of Jurel while NKR warms the bench. Vice-captain Rishabh Pant will make his return to Tests for the first time since he suffered a fractured toe earlier this year in the IND vs ENG 4th Test.