Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has backed young fast-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, urging selectors and team management to show patience despite the player’s underwhelming performances so far in white-ball cricket.

With Hardik Pandya rested for India’s upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, Reddy has retained his place in the squad and continues to be viewed as a potential long-term alternative to the injury-prone Hardik. However, the youngster has struggled to make a strong impact at the international level, raising questions over his role in the setup.

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Pathan believes India have limited options when it comes to genuine fast-bowling all-rounders and stressed that Reddy’s rare skill set makes him worth investing in over a longer period.

“Nitish Kumar Reddy should be given more opportunities, even if he fails. There aren’t many all-rounders who can bowl at 130 kmph and bat in the middle order. Hardik Pandya became what he is today because he was backed consistently for the first two to three years. The selectors, team management and fans need to show the same patience with Nitish Kumar Reddy,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.

Pathan also pointed out that while Reddy’s performances have not yet matched expectations, the lack of viable alternatives strengthens the case for continued backing.

“If we don’t show patience, potential will never turn into performance. So far, the results haven’t come for Nitish Kumar Reddy. After his Test hundred in Melbourne, we haven’t seen anything special in Tests, and even in white-ball cricket he hasn’t made an impact. But there are no other players with this kind of skill set available right now,” he added.

Hardik Pandya remains India’s first-choice fast-bowling all-rounder, but his recurring injury concerns have limited his availability in recent years. With no clear backup in place, the team management sees Reddy as a long-term project rather than a short-term solution.

India’s three-match ODI series against New Zealand begins on January 11 in Vadodara, followed by the second ODI in Khandheri on January 14 and the final match in Indore on January 18.

India ODI squad vs New Zealand

Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.