Nitish Kumar Reddy can replace Washington Sundar in T20 World Cup 2026 squad.
India have had a few injury concerns ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, including the one to Washington Sundar in the opening ODI against New Zealand. Sundar has subsequently been ruled out of the rubber, with Ayush Badoni replacing him.
For the second game, India have replaced Sundar with Nitish Kumar Reddy, who is a fast-bowling all-rounder with a high ceiling. This might be an indication that he will be in the T20 World Cup 2026 plans if the currently injured players don’t recover in time, or someone else is ruled out for any reason.
Sundar’s injury has certainly opened the doors for a surprise inclusion for Nitish, given the lack of enough spin-bowling all-rounders with previous experience. With Ravindra Jadeja retired, India have heavily depended on Sundar and Axar Patel, and other options in this department haven’t had enough chances.
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That Nitish Kumar Reddy has replaced Sundar in the XI suggests management might be trying this combination with an extra pace-bowling all-rounder. It’s too late to bring a fresh face into the setup, given the tournament starts in less than a month.
If Washington Sundar doesn’t recover in time, Nitish Kumar Reddy is a serious replacement option for the T20 World Cup 2026 due to his attributes. He can bat in the middle order and give a couple of overs consistently with the ball in the middle overs.
Reddy can whack spin and bat around Tilak Varma, who has issues against spinners, and also allow Hardik Pandya to do his natural role. His pace game is also more than decent, and he has previously been used as a flexible batter at various spots, something Sundar does in the T20I setup.
Additionally, his bowling can be useful on certain decks, and his smart usage can allow India to get away with a few overs. He has a knack for taking wickets and often comes with crucial breakthroughs against the run of play.
Nitish Kumar Reddy is not a like-for-like replacement for Washington Sundar, but he remains one of the better options, given the lack of options in this department. The two ODIs against New Zealand will matter a lot, even if management denies, for they will see whether Nitish can contribute according to their expectations in Sundar’s absence.
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