**Nitish Kumar Reddy Ruled Out of T20I Opener Against Australia Due to Injury**

Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the T20I opener between India and Australia at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday, October 29. The all-rounder will now miss his second consecutive white-ball game after being sidelined for the third ODI against Australia in Sydney, where India secured a consolation win in the series.

According to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Reddy will miss the first three T20Is due to a left quadriceps injury sustained during the second ODI against Australia in Adelaide. The BCCI medical team is working closely with the Andhra Pradesh player to monitor his recovery.

In a statement released after the toss, the BCCI said:
“Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out for the first three T20Is. The all-rounder, who was recovering from his left quadriceps injury sustained during the second ODI in Adelaide, complained of neck spasms, which has impacted his recovery and mobility. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress.”

**Player Profile and Recent Form**

Nitish Kumar Reddy has represented India in four T20Is, scoring 90 runs in three innings, with his highest score being 74 against Bangladesh in 2024. The right-arm medium pacer has also taken three wickets in T20 internationals.

At 22 years old, Reddy has shown impressive performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). He has amassed 485 runs in 22 innings at a strike rate of 132.87, including two half-centuries. Additionally, he has claimed five wickets in 12 IPL appearances.

Reddy will undoubtedly be disappointed to miss three of the five T20Is in this series, especially considering his all-round abilities. The promising right-handed batter recently impressed on his ODI debut against Australia in Perth, scoring an unbeaten 19 off 11 balls, including two sixes.

**India’s Playing XI and Strategy for 1st T20I**

With Nitish Kumar Reddy unavailable, India has opted for three spinners after being asked to bat first in the opening T20I against Australia. The selected spinners are Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Axar Patel.

All-rounder Shivam Dube is expected to support the frontline seamers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshit Rana in the bowling department.

The Men in Blue enter this series on the back of their T20I Asia Cup 2025 victory. As reigning T20 World Cup champions, India will be eager to claim the T20I series win Down Under.

Stay tuned for live scores and updates of the AUS vs IND 2025 1st T20I here.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/news-team-india-star-ruled-first-3-matches-ahead-aus-vs-ind-2025-1st-t20i