"You will drop Nitish Kumar Reddy after 2 matches" - Aakash Chopra questions all-rounder's utilization in IND vs WI 2025 1st Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has questioned Nitish Kumar Reddy's utilization in the first Test against the West Indies. He opined that the all-rounder might be dropped after the two-match series against the Windies, considering he is batting at No. 8 and is rarely being used with the ball.

India completed an innings-and-140-runs annihilation of the West Indies in the first Test in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 4. Reddy bowled four overs in the visitors' first innings, and didn't bat or bowl in the match after that.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener reckoned that Reddy wasn't used effectively in the Ahmedabad Test and might be left out of the side after the series.

"What did we do with Nitish Kumar Reddy? You played him the match. You bowled him six (four) overs. After that, you didn't make him bat. He was pushed down to No. 8, and after that, he didn't get to bat (bowl) in the second innings. He took an excellent catch, but did we do the right thing?" Chopra said (3:25).

"When you are playing against a team that is not going to challenge you, is it not your responsibility not only to garner 100 percent points, but also to prepare your players? In my opinion, it was wrong. Now Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) plays at No. 6 and Washington Sundar plays at No. 7, in any case. So you will drop Nitish Kumar Reddy after two matches," he added.

Nitish Kumar Reddy went wicketless while conceding 16 runs in four overs in the West Indies' first innings. Shubman Gill declared the hosts' first innings at 448/5 at the start of the third day's play, with the all-rounder not getting a chance to bat, and didn't use him with the ball in the Windies' second innings.

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"You would have gotten 100 percent points even if the match had ended in 3 days" - Aakash Chopra on Nitish Kumar Reddy not getting to bat in IND vs WI 2025 1st Test

Nitish Kumar Reddy has represented India in eight Tests. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that India didn't gain anything extra by winning the match in two-and-a-half days.

"He (Reddy) scored a century in Melbourne, played his last Test at Lord's, then he got injured, and if you have played him now, get him to do something at least. I couldn't understand at all what we gained by ending the Test match in two-and-a-half days. You would have gotten 100 percent points even if the match had ended in three days," he said (4:50).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy should have been allowed to bat on the third morning, wondering whether the seam-bowling all-rounder should be slotted at No. 8 as he is primarily a batter.

"You would have had to stay a little longer on the ground, and that too, it wouldn't have been our bowlers but theirs. Jaddu and Washi would have played, and then Nitish would have played. Is Nitish Kumar Reddy a batter or a bowler first? I feel he is a batter first who bowls a little. So, is keeping him at No. 8 right?" Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra noted that India played the Ahmedabad Test with virtually 10 players. While acknowledging that it shows the hosts' dominance, the analyst added that such selections and utilization of players could prove counterproductive at some stage.