Nitish joining India-A ‘good thing’ for player, says coach Kanitkar
Nitish Kumar Reddy joining India-A for the three-match one-day series against South Africa-A is a good call, head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar said ahead of the second match at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot.
Nitish was released from India’s Test squad against South Africa to link up with the A team. In the first game, he picked up a wicket in his two overs before playing a crucial 37 off 26 balls to take India-A over the line with three balls to spare.
“It’s a good thing for him; otherwise, he’d be sitting out and not getting game time. Here, he plays the series and goes back with matches under his belt. It’s important that they’re playing at a good level, and all of that helps,” Kanitkar said.
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Like the senior side, the A squad also has a problem of plenty. In the previous game, Ayush Badoni, Prabhsimran Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Manav Suthar had to sit out. Kanitkar acknowledged the challenge, adding that the players understand the situation and stay ready to grab opportunities when they come.
“It’s an important series for players looking to make a comeback to the Indian team or break in for the first time. Everyone is tuned in,” he said.
India took a 1-0 lead in the series thanks to Ruturaj Gaikwad’s century in the 286-run chase. The match went down to the wire despite the host reducing South Africa-A to 16 for four.
“The last game was very close. We’ve spoken about what to do and where we need to get better,” the coach said. “The pitch was good. Under lights, batting became a little tougher. I was happy with how we played and closed out the chase.”
Published on Nov 15, 2025
