Reports of a rookie being inducted against Australia in Perth were criticized by the BCCI, saying, "Like Sourav Ganguly Did..."

Nitish Kumar Reddy's nomination in the BGT series surprised many because he had only played in 23 first-class matches.

The exclusion of Shardul and all-rounder Hardik Pandya from the Test squad for the five-match series against Australia has drawn criticism from former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. According to rumors, youthful all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy will make his Test debut in the series opener against Australia in Perth, which coincided with Harbhajan's comments. Nitish, who made his India debut during the T20I series against Bangladesh last month, received high plaudits from bowling coach Morne Morkel during a pre-match news conference on Wednesday.

Many were taken aback by Nitish's inclusion in the BGT series, given that he has only played in 23 first-class matches. Nonetheless, during the intra-squad practice match, he made an impression on Morkel and the selections and support staff.

However, Harbhajan questioned the BCCI selection committee on why stalwarts Shardul and Hardik were left out of the Test squad.

"Hardik Pandya was the kind of all-round player you needed. However, you are forced to play Nitish Kumar Reddy. Shardul Thakur is nowhere to be found. Where has Hardik Pandya disappeared to? All we did was limit them to shorter forms. Hardik was the kind of player you needed. Where is Shardul now? We have been investing in him for the past two to three years. You're asking Nitish to bowl on a tour like this, all of a sudden."

Shardul was a member of the Indian team during their most recent tour to Australia, although Hardik did not play a Test match until 2018. This time around, he was also a contender for a spot on the squad, but the selectors chose the less seasoned Nitish.

According to reports that Nitish will make his debut in Perth, Harbhajan wants the young player to take on a position equal to that of Sourav Ganguly, the former captain of India, who would support the bowlers with his medium pace bowling.

"What he can do is just bowl a few overs here and there like Sourav Ganguly did, and if he gets 1-2 wickets, then that would be a bonus," he stated.