Determined Nitish Reddy wants to become ‘best all-rounder in the world’

Just over three months ago, Nitish Kumar Reddy had only played two Indian Premier League (IPL) games and was not a name familiar to the masses. 

But the 21-year-old shot to stardom in IPL 2024, where he ended up winning the Emerging Player award thanks to an outstanding season with the bat for finalists Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Nitish’s IPL exploits earned him a maiden India call-up, but an injury forced him to withdraw from the squad for the tour of Zimbabwe.

Nitish, despite the setback, knows he will play some day for India, but the 21-year-old has far greater ambitions than just representing the country — the SRH star has his eyes set on becoming the best all-rounder in the world some day.

"It'll be emotional whenever I play, but for that I have to put in the work. Playing for India will be the biggest thing for my family,” Nitish told ESPNrcricinfo.

"My ultimate goal is to be the best allrounder in the world. I have that belief. It's just about staying true to my game and being humble."

Nitish is a rare commodity in India thanks to being a pace bowling all-rounder, but, even then, it was his batting that helped him shoot to fame. IPL 2024 saw the right-hander amass 303 runs in total at a healthy average of 33.67 and an impressive strike rate of 142.92.

However, for the longest time, at least to the mainstream audience, Nitish did not come off as a batter that could bowl. It was the other way around, and that was due to lack of opportunities on the big stage to showcase his batting skills.

"I was batting well, but my bowling was coming along better ahead of IPL 2023. SRH management asked me to be ready, but somehow, I couldn't fit into the squad. When I finally got a chance towards the end of the season, I didn't [get to] bat in my two games,” he recalled.

"At the Asia Cup too, when I was in the XI, our top order did so well that I couldn't get a chance in the first three games. In the fourth game, when I was left out, everyone batted. It was on live TV, it stressed me out quite a lot that I missed a chance. I wondered if Sunrisers would even retain me."

The 2023 Syed Mushtaq Ali should ideally have proven to be the perfect platform for the youngster to shine, but he ended up missing that due to an ankle injury.

It was then that Nitish decided to get the help of the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) to sharpen his batting ahead of IPL 2024 in order to show the world that he had it in him to be a top-order batter.

“...One day, I just called up ACA and requested them to help arrange a few side-armers who would hurl the ball [to me] at 140 clicks from 18 yards. I didn't want anyone to tell me I'm a lower-order batter. I wanted to show I have it in me to bat in the top order.

"They bowled bouncers. I got hit everywhere initially, but I told myself: come what may, I'm going to face up and fight, build character and develop that no-defeat attitude. I continued this routine whenever I was training back home. 

“That's perhaps why coming into IPL 2024, I felt so confident playing proper pace. In the nets when Pat Cummins saw me react to pace, he was very impressed."

Nitish only managed to take 3 wickets in IPL 2024, but he has already shown his quality with the ball in red-ball cricket for Andhra. The right-armer has played 17 first-class matches and has taken 52 wickets at an average of 22.96. 

Another solid domestic season could see him get groomed by the management as Hardik Pandya’s long-term successor across formats.

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