Who is Nitish Reddy? A Young 20-Year-Old SRH Sensation In IPL

Who is Nitish Reddy? 

Twenty-year-old player Nitish Kumar Reddy has drawn the attention of cricket fans with his outstanding performance in the most recent Twenty20 encounter, as he showed his talent and abilities to chase down the big target under pressure.

In Tuesday’s match against the Punjab Kings in Mullanpur, the young star of Sunrisers Hyderabad Nitish Reddy played an incredible inning, scoring 64 runs off just 37 balls, including five big sixes. Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated the Punjab Kings with a formidable score of 182/9, thanks in large part to an innings that was amazingly contributed by Nitish Reddy.

All you need to know about Nitish Kumar Reddy

Prior to Tuesday, Nitish had only played eight Twenty20 matches, two of which were 2023 Indian Premier League games in which he was not allowed to bat. Ben Stokes and Hardik Pandya are idolised by the Nitish. When Nitish moved to senior-level cricket, he answered the call to bat lower down the order after leading the bowling and batting in age-group cricket, per ESPN Cricinfo.

In seven Ranji Trophy matches Nitish Kumar Reddy amassed 366 runs for Andhra, including a century and fifty. Nitish Kumar Reddy, who represented India B at the U19 level, participated in 17 first-class games and scored 566 runs. He also scored 403 runs at an average of 36.63 in 22 List A games.

A standout performance of Nitish’s was in the Ranji Trophy, where he was mostly an all-round bowler who made a big difference with the bat and the ball. Nitish scored 366 runs at an average of 36.60 in the 2023 season and claimed 25 wickets at an average of 18.76.

Nitish Kumar Reddy IPL Auction Price

Nitish was bought by the Sunrisers for Rs 20 lakh at the IPL 2023 auction, this shows the team’s confidence in his ability and potential. With 366 runs in seven Ranji Trophy matches for Andhra, including a century and a fifty, he has an outstanding record. Nitish brings great abilities in the domestic league from his experience playing at the U19 level for India B.

Nitish has been playing cricket for Andhra in the domestic league. He had only participated in eight T20 matches before Tuesday’s game, which included two 2023 IPL contests in which he was not allowed to bat.

Nitish Reddy A Record-breaker

In age-group cricket, Nitish looked up to India’s great batter Virat Kohli, as he dominated a top-order batting role for Andhra. The 2017–18 season was Nitish’s breakthrough year, as he completely changed the Vijay Merchant Trophy record books. Nitish scored the greatest total in the tournament’s history with 1,237 runs at an incredible average of 176.41. Surprisingly, he scored a triple hundred, two hundred, two fifties, and 441 off 366 balls against Nagaland during his run streak.

In 2018, Nitish was selected by the BCCI as the ‘Best Cricketer in the Under-16’ category at the annual award ceremony, following a chance encounter with his batting hero, Virat Kohli.

Nitish Reddy’s Age-Group Cricket

Nitish was told to reconsider his position as a new ball bowler and top-order batsman, due to mounting physical concerns. Even in the U-19 circuit, he was in my charge. It was asking too much of him at the time, even though he could play up top and open the bowling.

Nirmal Kumar, the current Andhra coach, says, “We decided to move him into the middle order and improve his focus with the ball.”

Even though he hasn’t produced much at bat in the lower order, his seam bowling all-rounder propelled him into the senior Andhra team in the beginning of 2020, and starting in 2021, he started to establish himself in all formats. During a quarterfinal finish this season, Nitish emerged as the leading wicket-taker for Andhra, having taken 25 wickets apiece in the previous two Ranji Trophy editions.

Nirmal was happy with Nitish’s batting progress in the longer format, even though his pace may still be improving. Nitish scored over 350 runs in the Ranji season, including 159 against Bihar. He is among India’s best all-rounders, equally adept at both batting and bowling. He is an excellent all-around fielder and slip-catcher who is by far the most fit player for Andhra.

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