India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is poised to rejoin the national squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. The 23-year-old, who was named as one of four conditional selections due to a lingering quadriceps injury, is expected to arrive in New Delhi on Thursday, September 10. Barring any last-minute directives from the Centre of Excellence (CoE) management, he is cleared to link up with the team.
Reddy has spent the last month and a half undergoing rehabilitation at the CoE in Bengaluru. Having successfully completed match-simulation tests—including one appearance last week and two this week—he is awaiting a final medical assessment before departing. Sources close to the situation noted, “He should be fine and get the all-clear from the CoE tomorrow. Barring a last-minute twist, he should be joining the Indian team tomorrow.” During his recovery, the Andhra cricketer focused heavily on his bowling, reportedly increasing his pace. He has not appeared in a T20I for over 19 months, with his last international outing occurring in an ODI against Afghanistan this past June.
Conversely, Harshit Rana has been officially ruled out of the series. While he was already managing a hamstring injury sustained during the third T20I against England in July, he has now suffered a fresh, undisclosed injury during his rehabilitation process at the CoE, effectively ending his participation in the upcoming fixtures.
The status of the remaining conditional picks remains mixed. Washington Sundar is widely expected to receive medical clearance to compete against Afghanistan. Meanwhile, there is no definitive update regarding Jasprit Bumrah, though sources suggest he may undergo a fitness evaluation on Thursday to determine his availability.
