Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan lauded Nitish Kumar Reddy post his success in the just-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 edition, in Australia. On Sunday (Jan 5), India lost the fifth and final Test versus Australia, at the SCG, Sydney, on Day 3, to concede the series 3-1. While Jasprit Bumrah had a terrific run with the ball, taking 32 wickets, the most in this edition, Nitish Reddy was one of the very few Indian batters who made a mark Down Under.

Advertisment

Reddy ended with three 40-plus scores, one 38 and a brilliant 114, in the fourth and penultimate Test at the MCG, Melbourne, to leave a mark in his maiden Test series. Thus, Pathan lavished huge praise on the batting all-rounder. 

'India have got a terrific player'

"You have got an excellent prospect. It's not easy at all for any batter to make his debut in Australia. We might show his century, but he was batting very well before that, he was reaching the 40-run mark regularly," Irfan told Star Sports.

Advertisment
Also read: BGT: 'It's crazy when...', Manjrekar criticises India's team selection after series loss vs Australia

"However, when he scored a century, all of us started to feel that we got a player who could bat not at No. 8 or No. 7 but at No. 6. If he can consistently bat at No. 6, I feel he has that potential, India have got a terrific player, who can solve the combination to a large extent," he added.

Reddy, the medium-pacer, also accounted for five wickets in as many Tests in the 2024-25 BGT edition. 

India are out of the race to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final in 2025, following a 1-3 series loss to Australia. Australia and South Africa will meet in the WTC final, to be held at Lord's in mid-June.