Nitish Kumar Reddy misses 2nd ODI vs Afghanistan due to a sore left thigh

Team India is missing the services of seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy in the second ODI against Afghanistan, which is being played at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Reddy had a fine outing in the first ODI, where he picked up two crucial wickets in his four-over spell. However, he wasn't needed with the bat.

The 23-year-old, however, was ruled out of the second ODI due to a sore left thigh. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the same in an official statement.

"Mr Nitish Kumar Reddy was unavailable for selection for the second ODI due to a sore left thigh," the apex Indian cricketing body said in the statement.

India have made three changes to their playing XI from the first ODI, which was a rain-curtailed 25-over-per-side contest in Dharamsala. The home side won that game comprehensively by seven wickets. Apart from Reddy, Harsh Dubey and Prasidh Krishna have also been left out. They have been replaced by Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Yadav, and Prince Yadav.

Coming back to Reddy, the youngster impressed during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, as he played a key role in helping the Sunrisers Hyderabad reach the playoffs. The Andhra Pradesh cricketer scored over 300 runs and accounted for eight wickets.

In the series against Afghanistan, he was named as the second seam-bowling all-rounder alongside Hardik Pandya. However, the experienced cricketer sustained a last-minute injury, which ruled him out of the series. The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, and the Indian team management are looking to groom Reddy for the future, as Hardik will turn 33 in a few months and has been prone to injuries. There aren't too many options as far as fast-bowling all-rounders are concerned in India.

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The Men in Blue would be hoping to get Reddy fit sooner rather than later, with important T20I assignments being on the horizon, including the highly-anticipated Asian Games.