Nitish Kumar Reddy Identified as Potential Successor to Hardik Pandya

Ahead of the third and final ODI against Afghanistan in Chennai, India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said Nitish Kumar Reddy is emerging as the "natural successor" to Hardik Pandya as the team continues to build its all-rounder options for the future.

India have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

In recent years, the team has added several all-rounders to its pool, with Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Harsh Dubey providing spin-bowling all-round options. Among the pace-bowling all-rounders, Nitish has made a strong case for himself and is being seen as a long-term option behind Hardik.

Speaking about the team's all-rounder depth, ten Doeschate said most of the available options are still bowling all-rounders. "And when Hardik plays, he obviously brings a different element because he is such a strong batter, such a strong finisher. A sort of role scarcity is difficult to find a finisher who gives you overs as well," he said.

"So those guys are all tracking really nicely. Like I said with Nitish, for the last 18 months, he's shown glimpses of how important he can be to this team, particularly in this format. And I feel his body's getting stronger and stronger, and I sort of feel he is the natural successor or backup to Hardik," he added.

The assistant coach also said it was encouraging to see several all-rounders contributing with both bat and ball, especially with an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.

"Even someone like Gurnoor (Brar) and Harsh (Dubey), they are all bowling all-rounders. But the fact that we feel we've got guys who can hold the bat at number nine, obviously looking forward for the next 14, 15 months, that is going to be very important. Especially in South Africa, when you want to play three proper out-and-out seamers, those guys are going to need to bat. A lot of good signs on the all-rounder front and also on the fast-bowling front," he said.

Ten Doeschate also expressed satisfaction with the emerging pace-bowling group that is developing behind senior bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, both of whom are missing this series.

"It's fantastic. Like I say, one of the big things when this coaching staff started was always going to be the transition of the bowlers, particularly with guys like Shami not playing anymore. This week or a couple of weeks ago when we got together in Chandigarh to see those three young guys coming in fold, it was literally like a Wow moment.

"The way Gurnoor (Brar) has bowled in his first two games, to see a young Indian pacer hit 147, 148, it's like, I'm sure you guys are all excited as we are. Obviously the T20 was a big lead up for the next 15 months and to balance the experience that this team has,” he said.

With the 2027 World Cup cycle underway, India's management appears focused on building depth in both the all-rounder and fast-bowling departments, and Nitish is among the players being closely watched as part of those plans.