Former India batsman Subramaniam Badrinath has questioned India’s ODI selection for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand, taking particular issue with the inclusion of all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy over in-form batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad. While the squad announcement largely followed the expected lines, Badrinath believes this particular challenge revealed an element of inconsistency in the selection process.
Sharing his views in a YouTube video, Badrinath said he was struggling to understand the reason for Nitish’s selection, especially when India already had established all-rounders in the team. He felt that Gaikwad, who always gave an opportunity, it was unfortunate that I missed out again.
“Along with the two all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy is in the team. I have no idea why he is there in the side,” Badrinath said.
“He is said to be an all-rounder but he smashes all over the place with the ball. Ruturaj Gaikwad took it hard.”
Badrinath went further and questioned the broader logic of the decision.
“Why is he not in the team and why is Nitish Kumar Reddy in the team? There is definitely some inconsistency there,” he added.
“The other team selections have been as expected and very good. The only problem is the selection of Nitish Kumar Reddy ahead of Ruturaj Gaikwad.”
Nitish’s selection is understood to be linked to the absence of Hardik Pandya, who was rested for the New Zealand series. However, with India opting for a tough combination that includes four specialist seamers, the question remains as to how much Nitish will realistically be used, especially as a bowling option.
The numbers do little to strengthen Nitish’s case at the ODI level. The all-rounder has appeared in only two ODIs so far, scoring 27 runs and failing to pick up a wicket. He also did not feature in the recent ODI series against South Africa, making his sudden inclusion all the more questionable.
In contrast, Gaikwad’s omission stood out sharply. The right-hander scored a brilliant century in his last ODI appearance, smashing an 83-ball 105 against South Africa in Raipur while batting at No. 4. Since then, he has continued to score runs consistently in domestic cricket, strengthening his claim as a reliable middle-order option.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
January 4, 2026
