Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Kamindu Mendis and Nitish Kumar Reddy run between the wickets during the IPL 2025 T20 cricket match between CSK and SRH at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. (PTI File Photo) NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has said India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy could play an important role in the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batting line-up.Hyderabad begin their campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28. While the focus remains on the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen and Liam Livingstone, Pathan said Reddy could provide balance after a dip in form last season.
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Axar Patel questions Impact Player rule: ‘All-rounders lose value’ On his YouTube channel, Pathan said of NKR: “If he plays his role well, I think he can act as the glue in this unit, which is otherwise very ultra-aggressive. It will be interesting to see how Hyderabad rise to the challenge.”He also pointed to the change in Reddy’s numbers from 2024 to 2025. “We saw his numbers drop compared to the previous year. In 2024 he scored over 300 runs and had a good strikeout rate. But what happened last year? His runs almost halved to around 180 and his strike rate dropped to around 119. It’s not too low batting 11 shots. he got opportunities around number four, so he couldn’t take those chances,” he added, according to news agency ANI.Reddy won the ‘Emerging Player of the Season’ award in 2024 after scoring 303 runs in 11 innings with two fifties at a success rate of 143 and taking three wickets. In 2025, he managed 182 runs in 13 matches at an average of 22.75 and a strike rate of around 119, with a top score of 32, along with two wickets.Pathan also spoke about the absence of Pat Cummins, who will miss the start of the season due to injury. He said the team will feel the absence of his leadership.“His absence will definitely affect how the game is managed. When a young player comes under pressure, they tend to look to an older player for leadership. Not having him regularly early in the dressing room will also be difficult for Hyderabad. So from that perspective, his absence will definitely be felt,” he said.“Pat Cummins not starting is a big factor. His bowling and his captaincy have always been exceptional and his leadership is often talked about. He equaled Harshal Patel’s 16 wickets last year. Even before that he took 18 wickets in a season. His batting is also very important. When he comes around number eight, he can hit a big shot that comes close to Hyder. from skipper Cummins,” he added.Pathan further said that Ishan Kishan will have a key role as captain in the absence of Cummins. He pointed to Kishan’s recent performances, including his run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), where he scored 517 runs in 10 matches with two centuries and two fifties, leading to his return to the national side and helping to win the T20 World Cup.“This time due to the absence of Pat Cummins, you will see Ishan Kishan as captain. Ishan Kishan’s graph is on an upward trajectory. When he played for Jharkhand in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he led the team as captain and lifted the trophy. Now the responsibility will be on him,” he said.“We also saw in the World Cup that he has given excellent batting performances. When a player has such confidence, giving him the captaincy makes sense. There was also a discussion that Abhishek Sharma could be the captain. Hyderabad named him as the vice-captain, but it is better to go with Ishan Kishan,” he added.
