Here's why Nitish Kumar Reddy ruled out of the first 3 T20s vs Australia

The all-rounder, who had been nursing a left quadriceps injury picked up during the second ODI in Adelaide, picked up a fresh injury ahead of the first T20

The Indian cricket team are starting their T20 phase of Australia’s white-ball tour as they take on the hosts in the first of the five T20Is at Manuka Oval, Canberra. After the toss for the first T20, which went in Australia’s favour, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav informed that Nitish Kumar Reddy will not be part of the playing XI. Moments later, the official news came out that the all-rounder will not be available for the first three T20Is after experiencing a setback in his recovery. 

The all-rounder, who had been nursing a left quadriceps injury picked up during the second ODI in Adelaide, has now developed neck spasms that have affected both his mobility and rehabilitation process. The BCCI medical team continues to closely monitor his condition and recovery timeline. Shivam Dube is now expected to play the role of sole pace all-rounder in the squad till Reddy’s return.     

 

  Meanwhile, Australia, after winning the toss, invited India to bat first on the chase-friendly wicket at Manuka Oval. 

How the injury happened

Nitish sustained his left quadriceps injury while fielding during the second ODI in Adelaide on October 23. The youngster reportedly pulled up while diving near the long-on boundary and appeared in discomfort before walking off the field. Team sources indicated that he had strained his left thigh, and early assessments suggested a minor tear.

 

The injury forced him to miss the third and final ODI in Sydney, where India opted to bring in Kuldeep Yadav to strengthen their bowling attack, compromising slightly on batting depth. The selectors also made a pace change, replacing Arshdeep Singh with Prasidh Krishna for the decider.

 

A BCCI spokesperson stated that Nitish had sustained a left quadriceps injury during the second ODI and was unavailable for selection in the third match, adding that the medical team was keeping track of his progress on a daily basis. 

Another unfortunate injury setback

Nitish’s latest injury adds to a string of setbacks he has endured early in his international career. Earlier this year, he had to return home midway through the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy after suffering a knee injury during a gym session ahead of the fourth Test at Lord’s in London.

 

Team insiders suggested that the injury was significant enough to warrant an extended rehabilitation period, though Nitish was said to have made a strong recovery in time to feature in the home Test series against the West Indies. His return impressed the selectors, who viewed him as a capable replacement for Hardik Pandya, still unavailable due to an ankle injury sustained during the Asia Cup.