Handed a fresh opportunity following Washington Sundar’s injury, young all-rounder Nitish Reddy failed to leave a mark during India’s seven-wicket loss to New Zealand in the second ODI at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. Drafted back into the playing XI as a like-for-like option, the 22-year-old struggled to influence the game in either discipline.

Nitish Reddy scored 20 off 21 balls in the middle order and bowled just two overs, finishing without a wicket as India slipped to a series-levelling defeat. After the match, Indian assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate offered an honest assessment of Reddy’s performance, admitting that the all-rounder has not yet justified the repeated opportunities handed to him.

Speaking to reporters, Ryan ten Doeschate stressed that while the team management is keen on developing Reddy through consistent game time, the youngster has often failed to make those chances count on the field.

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“Whenever we talk about giving Nitish opportunities to develop, we expect him to make an impact. Unfortunately, when he does get those chances, he hasn’t done enough in the games,” Ryan ten Doeschate remarked, underlining the growing pressure on the all-rounder to deliver.

Since making his international debut against Bangladesh in October 2024, Reddy has shown flashes of potential but has been inconsistent. He has scored one century across formats and has featured in 10 Tests, 3 ODIs, and 4 T20Is, accumulating 533 runs. However, performances like the one in Rajkot have highlighted the gap between promise and execution.

Ten Doeschate also pointed out that Reddy missed a golden opportunity with the bat. Walking in at a stage where he could have spent time at the crease, the assistant coach felt the situation was ideal for the youngster to strengthen his case for selection.

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Reflecting on the match conditions, ten Doeschate admitted India may have misread the surface by opting for an extra seamer instead of an additional spinner. Despite posting a competitive 284/7, courtesy of KL Rahul’s fighting century and Shubman Gill’s fifty, India were outplayed as New Zealand’s spinners controlled the chase and levelled the series 1-1.