Suryansh Shedge Earns India Call-Up After Nitish Kumar Reddy Is Ruled Out of Ireland and England Series

Mumbai batting all-rounder Suryansh Shedge was named as Nitish Kumar Reddy’s replacement in India’s T20 International squads for the two-match series against Ireland and the five-match series against England after the latter was ruled out with a left quadriceps problem. The BCCI said Reddy experienced discomfort following the third ODI against Afghanistan on June 20, after which a medical assessment recommended a period of rehabilitation that made him unavailable for both T20I assignments. His absence removed an important seam-bowling all-rounder from India’s plans, but it also created an opportunity for 23-year-old Shedge to move into the senior national setup after a series of impressive performances for India A and Mumbai. Shedge strengthened his case during the recently concluded India A tri-series in Sri Lanka, where he scored 147 runs across five matches while batting in the middle order and also contributed with his right-arm medium-pace bowling, completing 23 overs during the tournament. His ability to score quickly in the lower middle order had already attracted attention during Mumbai’s successful 2024–25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign, in which he accumulated 131 runs at an exceptional strike rate of 251.92. That tournament included decisive unbeaten innings in high-pressure knockout matches, demonstrating his ability to accelerate late in an innings and finish close contests. Although Shedge is not an identical replacement for Reddy, his combination of aggressive batting, athletic fielding and a useful additional bowling option gives the team management flexibility in T20 cricket. The selection also reflects India’s increasing willingness to reward players who perform in domestic cricket and India A competitions rather than relying only on established international names. India were scheduled to face Ireland in two T20Is in Belfast on June 26 and 28 before travelling to England for a five-match T20I series in July. For Shedge, inclusion in both squads represented an important step from domestic and franchise cricket to the international level, while Reddy’s rehabilitation period once again highlighted the challenge of managing player fitness across a crowded calendar. The extent of Shedge’s role would depend on team combinations and match conditions, but his selection showed that India’s selectors viewed him as a potential middle-order power-hitter who could gradually develop into a valuable limited-overs all-rounder.