Nitish Reddy And Naman Dhir's Rise Leaves Shivam Dube On The Brink, Says Ex-India Star

There were several positives for India in the third T20I against New Zealand. Naman Dhir once again proved his potential in the middle order, while Tilak Varma continued to grow into his role as a finisher. Another star who grabbed the limelight was Nitish Kumar Reddy. He not only picked up a wicket but also scored an unbeaten 26 off 13 balls while batting at No. 8. The performances of Reddy and Naman Dhir, who have scored 31 and 42* in the last two T20Is, have made things difficult for Shivam Dube, says former India player Subramaniam Badrinath.

"I won't say it's the end of the road for him, considering the possibility of injuries to others. But it'll be very difficult for him to break into the playing XI again. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Naman Dhir fit into the same category very well. They bowl, bat, and are excellent fielders. These two are multidimensional, especially with their fielding," he said on his YouTube channel, as quoted by Sportskeeda.

"Meanwhile, Dube is somewhat one-dimensional. He can smash spinners and give you two overs of bowling. And his fielding is poor. Fielding and fitness are areas where Dube takes a hit. So it's going to be hard for him to return to the XI."

Badrinath was effusive in his praise for Dhir.

"His (Naman Dhir's) knock was underrated in the second T20I. It came when the situation was tough. Even Tilak Varma acknowledged it after the game. And he bowls off-spin as well," said Badrinath.

Meanwhile, New Zealand will be without two of their most potent fast bowlers, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson, when they take on a rampant India in the third T20I at the Hutt Recreation Ground on Tuesday. It's a match New Zealand, currently trailing 2-0, must win to keep the series alive.

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