"He is the best batter in India at this point in time" - Aakash Chopra on whether middle-order batter should be promoted in BGT 2024-25 3rd Test
Aakash Chopra has opined that Nitish Kumar Reddy has been India's best batter in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. However, the former India opener added that the all-rounder is unlikely to get a promotion in the batting order.
India are currently facing Australia in the third Test of the five-match series in Brisbane. The hosts ended a rain-curtailed Day 1 (Saturday, December 14) at 28 for no loss.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the cricketer-turned-commentator was asked whether India should promote Reddy in the batting order.
"I will be fair. The temptation is there to make him bat slightly up the order because he is batting so well. In fact, he is the best batter in India at this point in time. It seems like no one is batting better or more confidently than him, and so he should be batted up the order," he responded (11:20).
"However, in whose place will you play him? Ahead of whom will you send him? Two openers go and after that (Shubman) Gill comes. After that, (Virat) Kohli, (Rishabh) Pant and Rohit Sharma come. In whose place will you get him to bat? That's point number one. He is not getting a place to bat up the order," Chopra added.
Reddy scored 41 runs in India's first innings of the first Test against Australia in Perth and followed it up with an unbeaten 38 in the second essay. He top-scored for the visitors with 42-run knocks in both innings of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide.
"You don't know how he will play if he is made to bat up the order" - Aakash Chopra on Nitish Kumar Reddy
![Nitish Kumar Reddy was promoted from No. 8 to No. 7 in the second Test against Australia. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/12/395f4-17341774081448-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that Nitish Kumar Reddy's batting style is best suited to the lower-middle order.
"Secondly, that kind of batting works at the number he is batting. You don't know how he will play if he is made to bat up the order. There is no doubt that he can bat, but at this point in time, I don't see a space," he said (11:50).
While praising Reddy's batting ability, the analyst noted that there is no vacant place in the top six.
"How will you make him bat up the order? I feel you won't be able to do that. I totally get that he is looking very good, defends well and does good hitting, and we have seen fantastic ways of playing in all four of his innings. He looks like a batter who can bat in the top five but there is no place as of now," Chopra observed.
Chopra opined that Reddy might have to be content with his current batting position. He added that India have incredible batting depth in the Brisbane Test, with Ravindra Jadeja potentially coming after Reddy at No. 8.