CHENNAI: When Nitish K Reddy was ruled out of the Ireland and England tours due to quadriceps injury in June, it raised alarm bells.
The all-rounder had impressed everyone with his increased pace and consistent bowling in the Indian Premier League season and went into Afghanistan ODIs as a full-blown all-rounder. Three matches later, he was out again. And with Hardik Pandya already in prolonged rehab, it became a concern from the team management.
Reddy is India's primary back up for Pandya. He has been for a while. While his bowling is still a work in progress unlike Pandya's natural strength, Reddy has been looked at as a potential all-format option. At least, as things stand, considering his age and fitness. But the recurring injuries had become a concern, especially with the ODI World Cup set to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Then came the two month rehab. Reddy spent most of it at the CoE before finally coming back for the Afghanistan T20Is in September. And when he did, the team management and selectors knew enough to wrap him in a bubble and take care of him.
Now, Reddy's batting skills were never in question. He was always more than capable with the bat — the Test century in Australia is proof enough — but consistently delivering under pressure is something that comes with experience. The last month has been just about that; gaining experience.
In the seven T20Is and two ODIs he has played since coming back, Reddy has bowled 32.5 overs, taking nine wickets across formats. The numbers don't look spectacular, but it is the volume of overs in regular fashion that holds significance. Reddy is out in the middle, experiencing it all and doing his best while learning on the job. "As I am getting to understand, you guys have to also understand that I am an all-rounder. I have to do both batting and bowling, even in practice, I have to do my workloads. The amount of work I have to do on the field and off the field," Reddy said in Christchurch on Saturday.
"It is just something which I am working on and nobody likes to get injured. I am happy that I am playing for the Indian team. It is about each and every day. The next day, if I turn up and play for my team, that would be a great sign for me, no matter where I play. But I hope I don't get injured, but I am still in the process."
In saying that, he has also shown enough and more signs on why he belongs at the level and deserves to play every game possible. His last four scores read: 26 n.o, 2 n.o, 41, 21. And what makes it all the more impressive is the context of the score. His 21-ball 41 came in the chase of 248 against the West Indies, but India fell short. On Saturday, however, he ensured the result went his team's way against New Zealand. Coming in at 112/6 in the chase of 181 with 31 balls to go, Reddy hit New Zealand all across the park to score a quickfire 26 n.o in 13 balls — an innings that, along with Tilak Varma, helped India get over the line.
"You have to have an eye on everything, where if the bowler has already bowled a bouncer, he might go for yorkers or something like that. It is just tactical things. We have to keep working on it. If you keep calm, if you just work on your batting, if you just keep staying at the crease, the right moment can come at any moment and then the game just changes and you will be on the upper hand. And that's what exactly happened today. It doesn't happen every time, but you have to keep believing," he reflected.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir and selectors surely do. Which is why, he is included not just in T20Is, but also in the five ODIs and two Test matches in New Zealand. Now, it is about Reddy remaining fit and trying to contribute his best in every game possible so that this time next year he is raring to go at the World Cup.