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Nitish Reddy, the versatile all-rounder from SunRisers Hyderabad, expressed his pleasant surprise at receiving recognition from Virat Kohli, the formidable batter of Royal Challengers Bangalore. Reflecting on their interaction during the IPL 2024, Reddy emphasized how Kohli’s acknowledgment boosted his confidence significantly.
During the IPL 2024 season, Nitish Reddy made significant contributions for SunRisers Hyderabad, accumulating 303 runs in 13 innings at an average of 33.67, with a striking rate of 142.92. Alongside his batting prowess, the right-arm pacer also chipped in with three crucial wickets, albeit at a slightly higher economy rate of 11.62.
Despite SRH’s journey to the IPL 2024 final, where they faced defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders, Nitish Reddy’s performances earned him recognition. Consequently, the 22-year-old earned his maiden national team call-up for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe.
However, fate dealt a setback to Reddy as an undisclosed injury ruled him out of contention for the Zimbabwe tour. In the IPL final, he managed 13 runs before falling victim to Harshit Rana. His absence paved the way for all-rounder Shivam Dube to replace him in the Indian squad for the T20I series, commencing on Saturday, July 6th.
Haven’t Talked A Lot With Virat Bhai – Nitish Reddy
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Nitish Reddy shared how Virat Kohli has been a source of inspiration for him. Reddy fondly recalled a pivotal moment during IPL 2024 when Kohli, the former captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore, personally acknowledged him by name after a match, significantly boosting his confidence.
“I haven’t talked a lot with Virat Bhai. First year in IPL when I played against him, I didn’t bat and only got the chance to bowl. Meanwhile, this year, when I was doing well, we had the RCB match. I always wanted Virat Bhai to acknowledge me and say that I am a good player as well. In that match, I didn’t get the opportunity to bat as we scored 270-odd runs,” Nitish Kumar said.
“After the match, when the two teams shook hands – when I was shaking his hands, he was like – ‘Hi Nitish, How are you?’ I was literally not expecting that he would remember my name. He probably would have seen me playing earlier in the tournament. It really boosted me a lot that Virat bhai is watching my games, and I have to be a little conscious about it and make him watch me a bit more,” he added.
Virat Kohli, celebrated for his extraordinary batting prowess and unwavering dedication, has been a profound inspiration to numerous young cricketers. The 35-year-old recently retired from T20Is following India’s triumph in the 2024 T20 World Cup, hosted in the West Indies and the USA. Under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, India clinched a thrilling victory, defeating South Africa by seven runs in a captivating final.
Leading up to the summit clash, the Delhi-born cricketer faced a challenging run with the bat, accumulating just 75 runs across the group stage, Super 8s, and the semi-final. However, Kohli’s pivotal knock of 76 runs off 59 balls in the final proved decisive, enabling India to post a competitive total and ultimately secure the championship.
