'I felt Nitish Kumar Reddy was the biggest positive of this series' - Vihari's intriguing take on all-rounder's performance vs Afghanistan

India completed a 3-0 sweep of the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, with the final match played at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on September 17. The series saw strong individual performances from multiple players, with Abhishek Sharma emerging as Player of the Series after scoring 229 runs across three innings at an average of 76.33. Sanju Samson also impressed, notching up two fifties in three games for a total of 117 runs at an average of 39.00.

Hanuma Vihari offered his assessment of the series, focusing particular attention on one player's performance. The batter highlighted Nitish Kumar Reddy's contribution as the standout feature of India's dominant campaign. Nitish finished as the highest wicket-taker, bagging six scalps from three games at an economy rate of 8.78.

"I felt Nitish Kumar Reddy was the biggest positive of this series due to his comeback in bowling in the second match. You can always talk about whether he is equal to Hardik or not, batting can always improve, but with his improvement in bowling, he has come to that level. I think he can still ramp up his pace and work on his bowling and body," Vihari said in a video on his YouTube channel.

"How many matches can he consistently play injury-free? That is the biggest question. With Hardik also injured and not in the team, it depends on how Nitish can take that all-rounder slot," he added.

Nitish Kumar Reddy's bowling performance in the Afghanistan series

Nitish Kumar Reddy's bowling performance across the series demonstrated his recovery from injury. In the second T20I, he took 3 wickets for 24 runs from three overs and was awarded Player of the Match. In the third T20I, he claimed 3 wickets for 25 runs from four overs. Overall, he ended the series with six wickets from three games. His start to the series was challenging, as he went for 30 runs from just two overs in the first match.

The 23-year-old all-rounder was returning to action after a left quadriceps problem that flared up and worsened following India's home ODI series against Afghanistan in June 2026. Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy were cleared by the BCCI Centre of Excellence to play in the three-match T20I series, which began on September 13.

Vihari's assessment of Nitish Kumar Reddy's World Cup prospects

Vihari expanded on Nitish Kumar Reddy's role in India's future plans, particularly regarding the 2027 ODI World Cup. The batter suggested that team management is actively preparing the all-rounder for the 50-over format with the World Cup as a key objective.

"If Hardik Pandya is not fit for the 2027 World Cup in time, then Nitish Kumar Reddy is your all-rounder. I think they are looking to groom him, as he was removed from the Asian Games squad and added for the ODI series against the West Indies, keeping the World Cup in mind. Asian Games is also important, no doubt, but the World Cup is your priority. They missed it in 2023 but will not want to miss it this time," Vihari said.

Also Read: 'We should keep our expectations low' - Mohit Sharma on Nitish Kumar Reddy's comparison with Hardik Pandya

The selection decisions reflected India's strategic thinking around the all-rounder position. Nitish Kumar Reddy's inclusion in the West Indies ODI squad while being excluded from the Asian Games squad signalled the team management's focus on preparing him for the World Cup campaign.