Sunrisers Hyderabad moved to the summit of the IPL 2026 standings on Wednesday after beating Punjab Kings, and much of the credit for the win can be traced to Nitish Kumar Reddy’s all-round influence. The 22-year-old produced an unbeaten 29 from just 13 balls and backed it up by taking a wicket, a combination that underlined why SRH have been finding balance through the middle and beyond.
Reddy’s impact did not go unnoticed in the commentary box either. Former India opener and well-known analyst Deep Dasgupta singled him out as the only “proper all-rounder” currently standing out in IPL 2026.
“We don’t get to see too many all-rounders in this tournament. I think Nitish is the only proper all-rounder. Bats in the middle order, bowls more often than not for at least three to four overs. So, yeah, a proper all-rounder,” Dasgupta said during his discussion on Reddy.
Dasgupta also pointed to how Reddy’s role has evolved. He noted that Nitish had struggled to carve out consistent batting and bowling time during IPL 2025, but in 2026 he has returned as a dependable option in both disciplines for SRH.
What made the praise particularly striking was that Dasgupta did not reference other high-profile names such as Hardik Pandya or Cameron Green while making his case. Instead, his focus remained on Reddy’s day-to-day usage and how effectively he has continued to contribute as a full-time two-skill presence.
“What is heartening to see is even though there is this impact sub option, he has kind of found a niche for himself as an all-rounder,” Dasgupta added.
Why Reddy’s “proper all-rounder” label matters
The backdrop to Dasgupta’s comments is the Impact Player framework, which has reduced the traditional scope of many all-round roles in the IPL in recent years. Even with that changing environment, Reddy has still managed to create a visible influence with both bat and ball, rather than being limited to a narrower match function.
Dasgupta attributed part of that success to the work Reddy has put in behind the scenes. “I guess the Impact rule, and how much that’s taken potentially the all-rounder out of it, so he’s definitely done a lot of work behind the scenes over the last few months to get everything clicking as it is,” he concluded.
Reddy’s tournament numbers reinforce the argument. In IPL 2026, he has amassed 222 runs across nine innings at a strike rate of 166.91, and he has also taken seven wickets—statistics that align with Dasgupta’s view of him as a genuine two-way contributor.
