Goa, June 20 -- India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has thrown his weight behind Nitish Kumar Reddy as a key part of the team's long-term ODI plans, describing the youngster as the "natural successor or backup" to Hardik Pandya.

Speaking in a BCCI video, ten Doeschate highlighted the unique value Hardik brings to India's white-ball setup. While India possess several bowling all-rounders, the coach stressed that finding a player capable of finishing innings with the bat while also contributing meaningful overs remains a rare commodity in modern cricket.

Hardik's latest injury setback has once again forced India to explore alternative seam-bowling all-rounder options. Among the candidates, Nitish Kumar Reddy has emerged as the most p...