All-rounder
The 23-year-old received formal clearance from the BCCI medical staff after successfully completing a final match simulation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Reports indicate that Reddy’s bowling workload met all necessary requirements during the assessment, confirming his readiness for competitive action following a period of rehabilitation.
Return to action after injury layoff
Reddy’s return follows a challenging period on the sidelines due to a recurring left quadriceps injury. The issue first surfaced during the opening ODI against Afghanistan in Dharamsala earlier this year, which forced him to miss the second match in Lucknow. Although he attempted a return for the third ODI in Chennai, he experienced further discomfort, leading to his absence from India’s subsequent white-ball tours of Ireland and England.
Having passed a fitness test last week, the all-rounder was officially selected for the Afghanistan series. His inclusion is timely, as he is also named in the squad for the upcoming Asian Games, which are set to begin on September 24. India, who secured the gold medal at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in October 2023, will look to build on their momentum with a full-strength roster.
Upcoming schedule and Asian Games preparation
Following the conclusion of the Afghanistan series, the Indian team is scheduled to depart from Delhi on September 18 to prepare for the Asian Games. As part of their lead-up to the tournament, the squad will play a solitary T20I match against Japan on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture.
The squad for the Asian Games features a blend of experienced players and emerging talent, including Shreyas Iyer as captain and Tilak Varma as vice-captain. The team also includes Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and Jasprit Bumrah.
