Morkel Backs Nitish Kumar Reddy to Compete for India’s Allrounder Spot

India bowling coach Morne Morkel has backed Nitish Kumar Reddy to develop into a strong contender for the team’s allrounder position ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Reddy has recently impressed with the ball in T20Is against Afghanistan, claiming three wickets in both the second and third matches of the series. He will now have an opportunity to strengthen his credentials in the 50-over format during India’s three-match ODI series against the West Indies.

The 22-year-old has played only six ODIs so far, with modest returns, but his ability to contribute with both bat and ball could become increasingly important for India as they manage their options in the absence of Hardik Pandya, who continues to recover from injury.

“I think Nitish, if we just rewind to the T20s, the way he bowled in different situations has been very impressive,” Morkel said. “The message to him all the time is just to keep things simple and do the basics as well as possible.”

Morkel also highlighted Reddy’s versatility, praising his contributions in all three disciplines.

“I think he's a very talented guy when it comes to bat, ball and field. He always wants to be the guy who wants to create opportunities, and having that mindset is fantastic,” he added.

Reddy has had his own struggles with injuries, most recently missing India’s series against Ireland and England because of a quadriceps problem. He returned during the ODI series against Afghanistan before producing stronger performances in the subsequent T20Is.

He was also brought into India’s ODI squad for the West Indies series after the BCCI withdrew him from the Asian Games squad, with Pandya still unavailable.

Reddy impresses in training

Two days before the opening ODI against the West Indies, Reddy caught the eye during a training session. He generated good pace and movement, beating Shubman Gill’s outside edge twice before inducing an outside edge from Rohit Sharma.

He also looked comfortable with the bat, further underlining his potential as a genuine allround option.

Morkel said India’s immediate priority is to give Reddy a clearly defined role and allow him to develop through consistent opportunities.

“The role that we want him to play in certain situations is: how can we ask him to be as consistent; how well can he fulfil just doing the basics as best as possible,” Morkel said.

“With the time we have now, it will be great for Indian cricket if we can keep on developing him and for him to compete for that allrounder spot. He's got all the talent and all the ability to do that.”

India shift focus towards 2027 World Cup

With the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching, India are beginning to place greater emphasis on their 50-over plans. Following the West Indies series, India are scheduled to play five ODIs in New Zealand and three against Sri Lanka at home before facing Zimbabwe in a three-match ODI series early in 2027.

Morkel wants the players to embrace pressure during this period rather than protect their positions in the side.

“Whoever walks onto the field now, up until the World Cup, needs to know that there's a certain standard we want to achieve,” he said.

“I want these players to put themselves under pressure, as much pressure.”

According to Morkel, India need players who are willing to take responsibility in difficult situations, whether that means asking for the ball when wickets are needed or building a partnership after an early collapse.

“If we are maybe 30 for 4, who's going to go and get that partnership and get us to 100?” Morkel said. “If we can throw ourselves into certain situations and guys can figure out ways how to play those situations and learn from that, there will be growth.”

Workload management remains a priority

India are also closely monitoring the workload of their fast bowlers after a series of injuries throughout the year. Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Hardik Pandya and Reddy himself have all spent periods on the sidelines.

Morkel said the coaching and medical teams are working together to ensure players remain fit and available for selection.

“We're constantly keeping an eye on workload management, how to give the guys the best opportunity to be fit and put their name in the hat for selection,” he said.

He added that India have individual plans for their players and will continue to monitor their workloads as the team builds towards the 2027 World Cup.

“With each and every individual there is a plan, and we'll keep on monitoring that and coming up with the best way forward to give the selectors the best sort of group to pick from,” Morkel said.