NEWS
Follow UsPace-bowling all-rounders are quite a rarity in Indian cricket, especially ones who can bowl at quite a steady pace and bat with some power. Such all-rounders usually go for a premium at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, but not in the case of the 21-year-old Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad for just INR 6 crore.
The all-rounder, who made his debut in 2023, had a stellar 2024 season, where he amassed 303 runs with a strike rate of 142.92, including scoring two crucial half-centuries for the Men in Orange. He also impacted with the ball, striking three times, which then earned him a call-up to the national side.
However, such was SRH’s illustrious retention list that they didn’t have a choice but to offer the 21-year-old the fifth retention spot. It didn’t bother the Vishakapatnam-born all-rounder, who was visibly excited to continue his journey with the 2024 IPL finalists.
“To be honest, I am so excited,” Nitish told Cricket.com after SRH retained him for INR 6 crores.
Naruto, 'idol' Kohli & tattoo - Nitish Reddy is ready for Test debut
The fact that he’s also a catchment player makes the marriage even more exciting, given the lack of local players in each franchise. Nitish’s focus, however, is firmly on helping his team win games and repaying the trust that the franchise had put in the youngster.
“Playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad fills me with pride. As a Telugu player, I am proud to represent my region. The price tag doesn't matter, actually. I am trying to perform and help my team win as an all-rounder. SRH backed me initially, and now I am committed to repaying the trust,” he added.
Nitish, who is now with India ‘A’ setup in Australia and will later be part of India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad, thanked the fans for their stellar support in the 2024 IPL and urged them to keep their support intact.
“To the fans, everyone has supported us well. Now it is my time to come and perform for you guys. I hope you guys will support us like you did last year.”
The 2016 IPL winners played an ultra-attacking brand of cricket in 2024, finishing as runners-up to Kolkata Knight Riders. It would be interesting to see how they carry on the aggression in the upcoming season.
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