IND vs AFG 2026: 'Huge plus for any team' - Sunil Gavaskar lauds Nitish Kumar Reddy after first ODI

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has hailed Nitish Kumar Reddy as a difference maker after India's seven-wicket win over Afghanistan on Saturday, June 13, in the first ODI.

In a rain-affected game reduced to 25 overs at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala, Reddy bowled four overs, finishing with figures of 2 for 31. He dismissed Afghanistan centurion Rahmanullah Gurbaz with an accurate yorker, flattening the middle stump, before having veteran Mohammed Nabi caught at long-off. Referring to the dismissal of Gurbaz, Gavaskar stated that bowlers who can execute yorkers are always valuable to any team.

"Nitish Kumar Reddy picked up a huge wicket of Rahmanullah Gurbaz with a perfect yorker. If you can nail yorkers like that, you become a valuable asset. Every time he tried something fancy, it went for runs. But every time he went back to the yorker, it worked," Gavaskar told JioStar.

Reddy finds his place in the squad with Hardik Pandya, India's all-rounder mainstay, who is recovering from a back spasm, absent from the team. He used the off-season to work on his bowling and has noticeably increased his pace with visible alterations to the mechanics of his action. He has also had a stellar run with the bat in the 2026 IPL for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, scoring 302 runs and picking up eight wickets as the team's main all-rounder.

The legendary batter added that Reddy's capacity as a frontline batter and bowler adds much flexibility to the team, where he can be picked as a batter or a bowler, and can contribute with the other skill as well.

"So, here's the takeaway. India now have a player in Nitish Kumar Reddy who can fill the role of a fifth or sixth bowler. Depending on the pitch and match situation, he gives the captain and selectors flexibility. 'Pick me as a batter, pick me as a bowler, I am ready.' That is a huge plus for any team," he added.

The second ODI of the series will be played on Wednesday, June 17, at the BRSABV Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. India currently holds a 1-0 lead in the series, after winning the one-off Test by an innings and 300 runs.