India have been looking for the fast-bowling all-rounder ever since Kapil Dev pulled out of an ODI against West Indies in Faridabad in 1994.
Early opponent wickets and insurance against the run order are much-loved features in cricket. Kapil provided these and more, including security and the 1983 World Cup!
Forty years after Kapil’s ouster, the search for his successor is now constrained by practical needs. The candidate should bowl at a reasonable pace, not necessarily too fast, and should score some significant runs rather than a potentially unbeaten 175. Many cricketers have been forced to adapt to this toned down requirement.
To be fair, Manoj Prabhakar was a strong contender and at one point he opened up the batting and bowling positions. Later, it was Ajit Agarkar’s turn. Over the years, the likes of Irfan Pathan, Stuart Binny, Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur have all been seen through the prism of Kapil’s lens. Even with MS Dhoni earlier and Rishabh Pant now offering all-round batting, whether as a wicket-keeper or a predatory batsman, the seam bowling swinger remains an important part of the selectors’ shopping list part.
This need for players who can provide balance is at work again in Australia. Nitish Kumar Reddy seems to have answered that question now, with bowling coach Moeen Morkel’s words in Perth seeming prophetic: “He’s one of those youngsters who has this all-round batting ability. . He can lift one end of the bat (as a bowler) and he hits the bat a little harder than you think. It’s a great opportunity for him to fill the all-round position. A player to watch in this series.”
Nitish, making his Test debut in the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, scored 163 runs at an average of 54.33 and, like Pant, bowled shots that defied traditional pitch settings. Even though Pat Cummins nailed him in a ramp shot at Adelaide Oval, tackles from either side behind the stumps came out of the top drawer and Australia pulled one back and finished with 1 -1 tied the series.
Nitish also takes pressure off the mainstream pacers by becoming the fourth seamer. He also had the added bonus of two wickets.
The 21-year-old is not yet a finished product and will be the subject of intense scrutiny from rival camps, with data scoured and analysis of technical holes tedious. These early days are often surprising and it is not easy to replicate success when the opposition has already nailed down their plans.
When the Indians land in Brisbane in heavy rain on Wednesday, Nitish, like spin all-rounder Washington Sundar, is part of the youth set-up and is expected to shine. If Nitish gets a chance in the remaining three games, starting with the third Test at the Gabba on Saturday, and performs well, it will certainly give Rohit Sharma’s side a Happy space.
