‘Big plus for any team’: Sunil Gavaskar identifies India’s next X-factor

India’s Nitish Kumar Reddy (PTI Photo) Nitish Kumar Reddy’s growing value to India’s ODI set-up earned him high praise from Sunil Gavaskar after the all-rounder’s impressive display in the opening ODI against Afghanistan in Dharamsala on Saturday.In a rain-shortened 25-over contest, Indian captain Shubman Gill elected to bowl first after winning the toss. Afghanistan got off to a very good start, largely thanks to a blistering century from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who smashed 102 runs off just 51 deliveries. However, it was Reddy’s crucial breakthrough that shifted the momentum in India’s favour.The young all-rounder produced a sharp yorker to dismiss Gurbaz and finished with figures of 2 for 31 from his four overs. The wicket proved crucial as India fought back impressively to bowl out Afghanistan by 194 to complete a comfortable seven-wicket win.“Nitish Kumar Reddy took the huge wicket of Rahmanullah Gurbaz with a perfect yorker. If you can nail yorkers like that, you become a valuable asset,” Gavaskar told JioStar.The former Indian captain highlighted how Reddy’s yorker changed the course of the innings after Gurbaz tried to make room for himself only to see his stumps shatter.“Every time he tried something fancy, it went for a run. But every time he went back to a yorker, it worked,” Gavaskar said.Gavaskar also highlighted the tactical flexibility that Reddy offers to the Indian team through his all-round ability.“So, there you have it. India now have a player in Nitish Kumar Reddy who can fill the role of fifth or sixth bowler. Depending on the pitch and the match situation, it gives flexibility to the captain and the selectors. ‘Pick me as a batsman, pick me as a bowler, I’m ready.’ That is a huge plus for any team,” Gavaskar said.Reddy’s rise has gained momentum over the past year. While he has long been regarded as a promising batsman, his bowling has developed significantly and is becoming an increasingly valuable part of his game.The 2026 IPL season reflected this progress. Apart from scoring 302 runs, Reddy took eight wickets and regularly provided key breakthroughs for his side. It also proved to be his most productive IPL campaign in the four seasons he has featured so far, further strengthening his case as a genuine all-rounder for India.