Selectors to decide on Nitish Kumar Reddy vs Shardul Thakur for India's squad in Australia tour

Team India is currently engaged in a three-match Test series against New Zealand on home soil. However, fans and experts are already looking ahead to the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, set to commence on November 22 with the first match of the five-Test series taking place in Perth. Although the Indian team is expected to stick with the same lineup that is currently playing against New Zealand, there is speculation that the Ajit Agarkar-led five-member selection committee is considering adding an extra seam-bowling all-rounder to the squad. This potential addition could provide more depth to the team and offer additional options for the upcoming challenging series against Australia.

The absence of Hardik Pandya in the Test team has long bothered India since the fast-bowling all-rounder moved away from the format in 2018 following his prolonged struggle with injuries. It hurts them most when they aretouring pace-friendly SENA countries.

The Baroda-based cricketer was recently seen practising with the red ball in England, which sparked rumours of a Test return for the Border-Gavaskar series, but former India cricketer Parthiv Patel shut the talk by revealing that it was only because white ball was not available.

As discussions continue to grow around the probable India squad for the long Test summer in Australia, a report in The Indian Express indicated that Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made his international debut earlier this month in the T20I series against Bangladesh after impressing the selectors with his performance for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024, is in contention for a spot in the team.

The report further mentioned that Reddy's fate will be decided when the selectors meet at the end of India's second Test against New Zealand in Pune next week. India, who will depart for Perth on November 10, will be travelling with a big contingent, also comprising net bowlers.

The website further reported that Shardul Thakur, who last appeared in a Test match in the opening game of the series against South Africa last December, and was also part of India's famous win in Gabba in the 2020/21 tour of Australia, will also be discussed for a spot in the Test squad for the Border-Gavaskar series. In fact, it will eventually boil down to Reddy versus Thakur for a place in the Indian team.

Incidentally, while the selectors added the name of Reddy to the India A squad for the tour of Australia, which will begin on October 31, Thakur was ignored.