Nitish Reddy Emerging as IPL’s Rare Genuine Allrounder Despite Impact Player Era

While Sunrisers Hyderabad continue to dominate IPL 2026 with their explosive top order, allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has quietly become one of the team’s most valuable assets with his contributions in both departments.

In a tournament increasingly shaped by the impact-player rule — a regulation many believed would reduce the need for genuine allrounders — Reddy has carved out a crucial role for Hyderabad as a dependable middle-order batter and effective seam-bowling option.

SRH’s star-studded batting unit featuring Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen has grabbed most of the attention this season, with the quartet collectively piling up 1,739 runs.

Yet Reddy’s impact lower down the order has been equally significant. Batting at No. 5, the 22-year-old has scored 222 runs at a strike rate of 166.91, often finishing innings strongly or rescuing the side during difficult situations.

His unbeaten 29 off 13 balls against Punjab Kings helped SRH finish strongly in a crucial win, while his 56 off 33 deliveries against Lucknow Super Giants played a major role in rebuilding the innings after Hyderabad slipped to 11 for 3.

Valuable Contributions With the Ball

Reddy’s value has extended beyond batting. The seam-bowling allrounder has claimed seven wickets this season at an economy rate of 10.39 in what has been another high-scoring IPL campaign.

Several of those breakthroughs have come at critical moments. He dismissed Sanju Samson and Ayush Mhatre during the powerplay against Chennai Super Kings and also removed Will Jacks after a rapid partnership with Ryan Rickelton threatened to take the game away from SRH.

SRH assistant coach James Franklin praised Reddy’s development after Hyderabad’s 33-run victory over Punjab Kings.

“He’s confident. He’s playing really well with the bat and showing intent straight away. As a bowler, he’s managed to increase his pace this season, he’s swinging the new ball, and he’s creating opportunities,” Franklin said.

‘Project NKR’ Paying Off

Behind the scenes, Hyderabad have invested heavily in Reddy’s development. The allrounder has reportedly worked closely with fast-bowling and performance coach Steffan Jones as part of a long-term plan to transform him into a world-class allrounder.

A major focus has been improving his pace, with the aim of consistently touching 140 kph — an upgrade that appears to be showing results this season.

Former India wicketkeeper and commentator Deep Dasgupta believes Reddy’s rise is especially important in an IPL environment where genuine allrounders have become increasingly rare.

“What is heartening to see is that even with the impact-player option, he has found a niche for himself as an allrounder,” Dasgupta said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show.

“I think Nitish is the only proper allrounder in this tournament — someone who bats in the middle order and regularly bowls three to four overs.”

Key to SRH’s Team Balance

Dasgupta also highlighted Reddy’s importance to Hyderabad’s overall balance, particularly in an era where teams rely heavily on aggressive batting and flexible substitutions.

Modern T20 teams often seek additional batting depth while still maintaining enough bowling options, making multi-skilled players like Reddy invaluable.

“If you begin with five bowling options, you can effectively play with nine batters,” Dasgupta explained. “That’s where someone like Nitish becomes so important because he allows you to strengthen both departments.”

As IPL 2026 progresses, Reddy’s emergence could prove critical not only for SRH’s title ambitions but also for Indian cricket’s search for a dependable pace-bowling allrounder in white-ball cricket.