Andhra all-rounder Nitish Reddy received his first call-up for India for the T20I series against Zimbabwe. However, an injury at an inopportune time ruled him out of the series and Shivam Dube replaced him in the squad.
He won the Emerging Player of the Season award in IPL 2024 after scoring 303 runs in 11 innings with two fifties at a strike rate of 143 and taking three wickets with his seam bowling. The 21-year-old is now working on regaining full fitness as the new domestic season begins on September 5 with the Duleep Trophy.
In an exclusive interview, Nitish Reddy spoke about the struggles he faced during the initial days of his career. He further spoke about his injury that prevented him from making his debut in India and also talked about the impression he had with Pat Cummins at an SRH practice session. He said that his aim is to become the best player in India.
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SRH all-rounder Nitish Reddy recalls his first meeting with Pat Cummins
Nitish Reddy recalled his call-up for a practice session organised by the Andhra Cricket Association for the IPL trials. It was through these trials that his batting potential was identified.
“One day, I called ACA and asked them to help me get some side pitchers to throw the ball. [to me] “I didn’t want anyone to tell me that I am a lower-order batsman. I wanted to prove that I have what it takes to bat in the top order,” Nitish told ESPNCricinfo.
He further spoke about how his batting talent impressed Australian captain Pat Cummins. As a result of his solid technique, Reddy batted primarily in the top order for Sunrisers Hyderabad during IPL 2024.
“They bowled balls with bounce. Initially, they hit me all over the place, but I told myself, no matter what happens, I will stand up and fight, develop my character and that attitude of not losing. I continued with this routine every time I trained at home. Maybe that’s why, going into IPL 2024, I felt so confident about playing at the right pace. In the nets, when Pat Cummins saw me reacting to the pace, he was very impressed,” he added.
Nitish Reddy managed to take only 3 wickets in the IPL 2024 but has already proved his quality with the ball in red-ball cricket for Andhra. The right-hander has played 17 first-class matches and has taken 52 wickets at an average of 22.96.
With Hardik Pandya no longer captaining the team in T20Is, Nitish can compete with him for the all-rounder’s spot. His winning of the emerging player award in IPL 2024 was a testament to his talent and what he can likely represent for India in the future.
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