When it comes to Indian cricket in recent years, Hardik Pandya has usually been in a league of his own in the category of fast-bowling all-rounders. The likes of Vijay Shankar and Shardul Thakur have had bright moments, but never quite the destructive excellence of Pandya.

"Reddy's bowling is still a work in progress, but as a batter, he is definitely better than Pandya was around the same time," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar. In the four Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has reserved high praise for Nitish Kumar Reddy's credentials in Test cricket, calling him a better batter than Hardik Pandya.

Sunil Gavaskar praised Nitish Reddy as Hardik Pandya's ideal Test replacement, highlighting his maiden century at MCG and maturity in the IND vs AUS series.

Nitish Kumar Reddy, 21, is making quite a reputation for himself in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The youngster has emerged as the crisis man, repeatedly bailing India out of tricky situations.