Nitish Kumar Reddy: The SRH Sensation Shining in IPL – Is He Team India’s Next Great All-Rounder?

In the IPL 2024 season, during the match against Punjab Kings on Tuesday, Sunrisers player, the Telugu lad Nitish Kumar Reddy, created havoc. He captivated everyone with his spectacular batting and bowling performance. Especially when the team was in trouble, Nitish came to bat and surprised everyone with his explosive innings. Despite the falling wickets on one end, he didn’t bow down to Punjab bowlers, showcasing his prowess with fours and sixes. Particularly in the 15th over bowled by Harpreet Brar, he thrashed the balls to all corners, securing 22 runs with two sixes and two fours. In this match, facing 37 balls, Nitish scored 64 runs including 4 fours and 5 sixes, playing a pivotal role in the team’s victory. Consequently, praises are pouring in from all quarters for him.

Nitish’s Heroic Performance

In the match against Punjab Kings on Tuesday, Sunrisers Hyderabad, having won the toss, chose to bat. Sunrisers batters like Abhishek Sharma (16), Travis Head (21), and Aiden Markram (0) got out early, putting SRH in a tough spot at 39 runs for 3 wickets. It was then, Nitish Kumar Reddy from Visakhapatnam, who came in and showed his mettle with the bat against Punjab Kings bowlers. Even after Rahul Tripathi (11) and Heinrich Klaasen (9) got out, Nitish didn’t slow down. He completed his half-century in just 32 balls. Nitish’s stunning innings helped Sunrisers Hyderabad to put up a score of 189 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs. In return, they restricted Punjab Kings to 180/6, registering their third victory of the season.

Base price of Rs. 20 Lakhs

In 2023, Nitish was bought by Sunrisers for a base price of Rs. 20 lakhs. He didn’t get much opportunity in his first season. This season, Sunrisers planned to utilize him as a finisher. Accordingly, he was sent earlier in the batting order in the match against Chennai (CSK vs SRH), playing in the lower middle order. In that match’s chase, Nitish scored 14 runs off 8 balls, leading the team to victory. Recognizing his talent, the Sunrisers’ management sent him earlier to bat in the match against Punjab. Seizing the opportunity, Nitish hit a half-century and played a vital role in the match. He also made a mark in bowling with figures of 1/33, earning the Player of the Match title.

About Nitish Kumar Reddy

Nitish Kumar Reddy was born on May 26, 2003, in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, into a lower middle-class family. His father, Muthyala Reddy, previously worked for Hindustan Zinc. Nitish started playing cricket at the age of five, beginning with plastic ball cricket while growing up watching matches at the Hindustan Zinc company ground. Encouraged by his father, he chose cricket as his career. Early in his career, Nitish Kumar Reddy attended camps set up in the Visakhapatnam grounds and later joined the ACA Academy in Kadapa with the help of former chief selector MSK Prasad, where he honed his skills further. Playing as an opener in age-group cricket, Nitish Kumar Reddy also made a mark as a medium pacer. Representing the under-19 B team, he showcased his talent prominently. Making his first-class cricket debut in the 2019-20 Ranji season, Nitish has since played 7 matches, scoring one century and a half-century to accumulate 366 runs.

Has Another Pace All-Rounder Been Found?

The Indian team has always been in search of a reliable pace all-rounder since Kapil Dev. Although Hardik Pandya made an impact as a pace all-rounder for a while, injuries during crucial tournaments have been a setback for the team. Attempts with players like Vijay Shankar and Venkatesh Iyer haven’t made a significant impact. Shivam Dube, focusing more on his batting, hasn’t shown much promise with his pace. Despite ongoing BCCI searches for a pace all-rounder, Nitish’s versatile batting style and distinctive bowling seem to fit the bill. Analysts suggest that if Nitish continues to perform consistently in this tournament and maintains his fitness, he may have a chance of getting selected for the upcoming T20 World Cup. They also speculate that Nitish could be considered as a backup for Hardik Pandya.