Major setback for India as Nitish Kumar Reddy ruled out of key tours

All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of India's limited-overs tours of Ireland and England due to a left quadriceps injury. He will undergo rehabilitation for a month, adding to India's woes with Hardik Pandya also sidelined.

Reddy's Injury and Recovery Timeline

According to the report, Reddy initially picked up the injury while bowling in the first ODI in Dharamsala and was subsequently rested for the second match in Lucknow. Although he returned for the final ODI in Chennai, he bowled six overs, conceding 42 runs, after which he reportedly experienced discomfort. The all-rounder will now undergo rehabilitation at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for at least a month, to regain fitness ahead of India's two-Test tour of Sri Lanka in August, for which the schedule is yet to be announced.

Team Impact and Potential Replacements

The development comes as India are already without another key all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, who was earlier ruled out of the England and Ireland tour while recovering from a leg injury sustained during a conditioning session at the CoE following IPL 2026. No official timeline has been set for his return.

Possible Inclusions

In the absence of Reddy, players like Shivam Dube and Harshit Rana could be considered as backup options, though both primarily offer single-dimensional skills. Selectors may also look at Suryansh Shedge as a like-for-like replacement after his recent performances for India A in Sri Lanka, where he scored a half-century but had modest returns with the ball.

India's Tour Schedule

India are scheduled to play two T20Is in Ireland on June 26 and 28, followed by a five-match T20I series in England starting July 1, which will be followed by three ODIs. The Ireland fixtures will mark India's first T20Is since their World Cup triumph earlier this year, with Shreyas Iyer set to lead the side in the format. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)