All-rounder boost as India run combinations for T20 World Cup

India bowling coach Morne Morkel provided an encouraging update on all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy ahead of their 4th T20I against Australia on Thursday.

Reddy had missed the first three matches of the series. The 21-year-old, who was recovering from a left quadriceps injury picked up during the second ODI in Adelaide, later suffered neck spasms that slowed down his recovery and limited his movement.

Reddy was spotted training on Wednesday and Morkel said the youngster will be assessed after the session to check his progress.

“He did all the work expected of him today - fielding, batting and bowling - and he ticked all of that. So we will find out now after assessment where he’s at,” Morkel said.

The five-match T20I series is currently tied at 1-1. The first T20I was washed out due to rain while India went down in the second before bouncing back with a thrilling five-wicket win in the third. Arshdeep Singh, who missed the first two games, was the pick of the bowlers in India' win with 3/35, earning the Player of the Match award.

Arshdeep, who was named the ICC Men's T20I Cricketer for 2024, has played only three T20Is since the five-match series against England earlier this year, one of which came against Australia in Hobart on Sunday.

Morkel was appreciative of the left-arm seamer comprehending the team’s approach as India continue to test different combinations ahead of next year's ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

“Arshdeep is an experienced youngster. He knows there is also a bigger picture where we also try different combinations.

"He knows he is a world class bowler. He’s taken the most wickets for us in the powerplay, so we know how valuable he is to the team. But also for us, on other days and on this tour, it’s just to have a look at other combinations and he understands that,” Morkel said.

Morkel stressed the importance of giving players opportunities in different roles to test how they cope under pressure, something he feels is vital with the World Cup nearing.

“You need to be adaptable and know where certain players can give you options in different roles. If you’re not going to try those roles and see how they’re going to handle the pressure in those situations, we are never going to know,” he explained.

"With the World Cup around the corner, you don’t want to leave any stone unturned.

"You don’t want to sit two years down the line and say if only we tried that and gave this combination a bit more time, it would have developed. So I think it’s about playing it smartly," he added.