Nitish Kumar Reddy to go on a long sabbatical? Hardik Pandya's replacements shares details about his future

One of India's most promising young talents, Nitish Kumar Reddy, is gearing up for a comeback after a couple of unfortunate injuries delayed his debut for Team India in the international arena.

The dynamic all-rounder, who had a standout season with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2024, was set to make his India debut in the ongoing five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe.

Nitish Kumar Reddy optimistic about comeback after injury setback

The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee selected Reddy as a like-for-like replacement for Hardik Pandya for India’s ongoing tour of Zimbabwe after his stunning performance with both bat and ball for the SRH in the IPL 2024, where he scored 303 runs at a strike rate of 142.

However, just days before what would have been a career-defining series, Reddy's hopes were dashed as he found himself at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) instead of heading to Harare's Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

As a result, Reddy was ruled out of the ongoing T20I series in Zimbabwe. Despite the setback, the young all-rounder remains optimistic about his comeback to action, saying the injuries are part of the game.

He is focused on the future and is confident that more opportunities will come his way to shine in the national colors. Reddy is also thrilled about his maiden call-up to the Indian cricket team and is determined to regain full fitness quickly.

The youngster said that his rehabilitation at the NCA is progressing well. Furthermore, the young all-rounder revealed that he has minor sports hernias and tightness on his shoulder, which ruled him out of the T20I series.

I have sports hernia and shoulder problem: Nitish Kumar Reddy

Nitish Kumar Reddy was quoted as saying by India Today, “It is everyone's dream to play for India. I was really close to it and then the injury came in. I don't blame the injury as it is a part and parcel of a player's life. So, whatever happened has happened. I want to work on myself in this off-season. I am working on my shoulder and also on the sides. I felt really happy when the India call-up came but you know injuries happen. No worries, opportunities are going to come. I just want to be prepared for it.”

Reddy added, “I have a sports hernia. It is a minor injury. They said that a surgery was not needed and I have to just take some rest and get some rehab done. I've been going through that, and we actually don't know how much time it takes, but now I'm feeling much better. Better than before. At the end of the day, it is my physio's call. Apart from this, I'm also working on my shoulder. I have a tightness problem. Things are going pretty great at the moment.”

Well, the young Indian all-rounder is confident that he will get great opportunities in the future, and he wants to be prepared for that. Furthermore, Reddy stressed that he will have to be prepared for the challenges he is going to face and trust in his all-round abilities.