India Plans to Include Devdutt Padikkal and Nitish Reddy for West Indies Tests: Report

India’s men’s selectors are likely to consider left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal from Karnataka and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy from Andhra Pradesh for the upcoming two-Test series at home against the West Indies, according to ESPNcricinfo. With Rishabh Pant ruled out due to a leg injury, Dhruv Jurel is expected to take over as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper.

Padikkal has played two Tests for India, most recently in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth. He is currently in good form, having scored 150 for India ‘A’ against Australia ‘A’ in the first four-day game in Lucknow. His inclusion in the top order makes sense, as India is still looking for a reliable number three batter, with neither R Sai Sudharsan nor Karun Nair cementing their spot in England.

Reddy toured England with the team but couldn’t make a big impact before suffering a knee injury. He played for India ‘A’ in the first game but didn’t start in the second; he is expected to be part of the squad for the upcoming series alongside Padikkal.

Meanwhile, Jurel impressed with the gloves and the bat, scoring 140 against Australia ‘A’ in the rain-affected first game. He had previously shown his talent and calmness during the during the home series against England in 2024 but got limited opportunities once Pant returned from the injury. After the series he is likely to replace Pant as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper,Jurel can strengthen his position as the backup. Pant, who fractured his toe during the England series, is currently undergoing rehabilitation in Bengaluru.

With Jurel temporarily promoted, Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan, who flew to England when Pant got injured, could be called up as the backup wicketkeeper for the series. The West Indies Test starts on 2 October. This will be India’s second assignment in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle and the first home series since the 3-0 loss to New Zealand last year.

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