Nitish Kumar Reddy clears fitness test, set to feature in Afghanistan T20Is

Indian all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has received the green signal from BCCI medical staff and will link up with the Indian squad in Delhi on Thursday, September 11, ahead of the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. The opening fixture is scheduled for September 13 in the national capital. The 23-year-old completed a final match simulation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Wednesday, September 9, clearing every check put before him.

Reddy's bowling workload during the simulation ticked all the required boxes, with the medical team satisfied that he is ready for the demands of a full series. He had passed an initial fitness assessment last week, which led to his selection in the squad for the Afghanistan T20Is. Wednesday's session served as the conclusive confirmation of his availability.

The all-rounder's last appearance for India came during the ODI series against Afghanistan in June 2026, when he aggravated a left quadriceps problem. He first sustained the injury while bowling in the opening ODI in Dharamsala and was rested for the second match in Lucknow. He came back for the third ODI in Chennai but felt discomfort once more, ending his involvement for an extended stretch. The setback subsequently forced him to sit out India's white-ball tours of Ireland and England.

What does Reddy's return mean for India's schedule beyond the Afghanistan series?

Reddy's clearance carries significance well beyond the three T20Is against Afghanistan. He is also named in India's squad for the Asian Games, which get underway on September 24. The Indian contingent is scheduled to fly out of Delhi on September 18, giving the team management a clear window to assess him across the Afghanistan fixtures before the multi-sport event begins.

India will also play a standalone T20I against Japan on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture as a preparatory fixture ahead of the Asian Games. Reddy's availability across all three assignments gives the team management a fuller range of options in both the pace-bowling and lower-order batting departments.

How did India perform at the last Asian Games cricket event?

India claimed the men's cricket gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The final was against Afghanistan, but persistent rain prevented any play, and the match was abandoned without a ball bowled. India were declared winners because they entered the final as the higher-seeded side, a standard tournament regulation applied when a decisive match cannot be completed. The upcoming Asian Games offer India the chance to defend that title, and Reddy's return bolsters their squad for that campaign.

India men's full squad for Asian Games 2026

Shreyas Iyer (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vice-capt), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jasprit Bumrah