In the opening match of the three-match ODI series between India and West Indies, Nitish Kumar Reddy had a disastrous start to his spell. Bowling the second over of the innings at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, Reddy ended up conceding 18 runs in what turned out to be a seven-ball over. Justin Greaves punished the bowler by hitting four boundaries, while the over also featured a single extra and a single run.
Over-by-over breakdown
The expensive over began with a leg-bye single as Campbell rotated the strike to Justin Greaves. The second delivery was called a no-ball for overstepping, and Greaves capitalized with a textbook cover drive that raced away for a four. The subsequent free-hit delivery was dispatched over mid-wicket for another lofted boundary. Continuing the onslaught, the third ball was flicked off the front foot toward square leg for yet another four.
Reddy managed to pull back slightly on the fourth delivery by pitching it on a hard length, which was successfully defended on the front foot for a dot ball. However, the fifth delivery brought another boundary as Greaves executed a brilliant drive toward mid-off. The final legal delivery of the over was kept on a good stump line, resulting in no run, but the damage was already done.
The search for Hardik Pandya's backup
Reddy's inclusion in the side stems from discussions surrounding a potential backup for Hardik Pandya. Initially, Reddy was not part of the plans for the ongoing ODI series against West Indies, having been named instead in the Indian T20 squad for the Asian Games in Japan. However, a last-minute change of plans saw him called up for the ODI series instead. Selectors were likely aware that the injury-prone Hardik Pandya faced another spell on the sidelines, requiring two to three months to fully recover, prompting the team management to groom a reliable all-rounder backup ahead of the World Cup.
Naman Dhir makes international debut
Earlier, Indian captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to field first in Thiruvananthapuram. The fixture marked the international debut of spin all-rounder Naman Dhir, known for his aggressive strokeplay and useful spin bowling options. Alongside the youngsters, senior stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are also featuring in the playing eleven for this encounter.
