Nitish Kumar Reddy has earned his maiden call up into the Indian Test squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 in Australia. The pace bowling all-rounder impressed everyone during his stint with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024. Reddy amassed 303 runs in 13 games at an average of 33.67 and had a strike rate of 142.92. He also scalped three wickets and hence was part of the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh at home.
Reddy said that he was expecting his name to be called up for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. However, he felt that his chances would depend on his performances for the India A side. Reddy is pleased to win over the trust of the selectors and the team management.
“The talks were going on. I was expecting my name to be announced, but not before India ‘A’ matches. I thought it might depend on my performance in these ‘A’ matches. But it seems I have been able to show some promise to them, so I guess they hope I’ll do well,” said Reddy, talking to The Telegraph.
“My dad played a big role in my journey“- Nitish Kumar Reddy
Nitish Reddy has earned his maiden Test call up for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series (Image credits: X)
Reddy performed really well in the 2017-18 Vijay Merchant Trophy and made headlines in the circuit. He scored 441 runs against Nagaland while opening the innings for his team and smashed his quadruple ton in just 345 deliveries. Reddy scored 1237 in that tournament and also scalped 26 wickets. He was entrusted with bowling with the new ball and he successfully displayed his talent.
Nitish also talked about the role of his father in helping him reach that stage and he is indebted to the efforts of his parents without whom he would not have reached this stage. He talked about how his mother would cook food for him at 3:30 if he had to leave at 5 o’clock clock. The Sunrisers Hyderabad man will never forget those days ever in his life. Nitish also talked about how his father hugged him when he performed well and that was an emotional moment for him as a son.
“Yes, 100%. My dad played a big role in my journey. Without him, I wouldn’t be making it here. He worked a lot behind the scenes, but no one knows. I am so thankful that I have a father like him; obviously, my mother is also. She cooks. If I had to leave my home at 5 o’clock, she would wake up at 3.30 and prepare everything. So, those are the days I will never forget in my life. My father and I had an emotional moment when I performed well.
Every son expects an emotional hug from his father. Most fathers feel like a moment will be there, but for me, that moment was when my father came to me, and happy tears came to my eyes when he hugged me. That was the best moment of this year,” he recalled, with some emotion in his tone.
Reddy was the pace bowling all-rounder with Hardik Pandya in the T20I series against Bangladesh and also scored ahead of half century in Delhi. In Australia, he will be expected to play as the pace bowling all-rounder as he and Harshit Rana are the only pace bowling all-rounders in the Indian squad. It will be dream come true moment for the Sunrisers Hyderabad man.
