NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan said India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy could play an important role in the batting line-up of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).Hyderabad begin their campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28. While focus remains on players like Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen and Liam Livingstone, Pathan said Reddy could provide balance after a dip in form last season.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan said about NKR, “If he performs his role well, I think he can act as the glue in this unit, which is otherwise very ultra-aggressive. It will be interesting to see how Hyderabad counters this challenge.”He also pointed to the change in Reddy’s numbers from 2024 to 2025. “We saw that his numbers dropped compared to the previous year. In 2024, he scored more than 300 runs and had a good strike rate. But what happened last year? His runs almost halved to around 180, and his strike rate dropped to about 119. It is not like he was batting too low either. In about 7 out of 11 innings, he got opportunities around number four. So, he was unable to capitalize on those chances,” he added, as cited by the news agency ANI.Reddy had won the ‘Emerging Player of the Season’ award in 2024 after scoring 303 runs in 11 innings with two fifties at a strike rate of 143 and taking three wickets. In 2025, he managed 182 runs in 13 matches at an average of 22.75 and a strike rate of around 119, with a highest score of 32, along with two wickets.Pathan also spoke about the absence of Pat Cummins, who is set to miss the early part of the season due to injury. He said the team will feel the absence of his leadership.“His absence will definitely impact how the game is managed. When a young player comes under pressure, they tend to look towards a senior player for guidance. Not having him regularly in the dressing room at the start will also be difficult for Hyderabad. So, from that perspective, his absence will certainly be felt,” he said.“Pat Cummins not being there at the start is a big factor. His bowling and his captaincy have always been exceptional, and his leadership is often talked about. Last year, he matched Harshal Patel with 16 wickets. Even before that, he had taken 18 wickets in a season. His batting is also very important. When he comes in around number eight, he can hit big shots, and the aggression that has been instilled in Hyderabad has largely come from Captain Cummins,” he added.Pathan further said that Ishan Kishan will have a key role as captain in Cummins’ absence. He referred to Kishan’s recent performances, including his run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) where he scored 517 runs in 10 matches with two centuries and two fifties, which led to his return to the national side and contributions in a T20 World Cup-winning campaign.“This time, due to the absence of Pat Cummins, you’ll get to see Ishan Kishan as the captain. Ishan Kishan’s graph is on an upward trajectory. While playing for Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he led the team as captain and lifted the trophy. Now, the responsibility will be on him,” he said.“We also saw in the World Cup that he delivered outstanding batting performances. When a player has that kind of confidence, giving him the captaincy makes sense. There were also discussions that Abhishek Sharma could be made captain. He has been appointed as vice-captain by Hyderabad, but it is better to go with Ishan Kishan,” he added.
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