New Delhi: Young Indian all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy impressed with his performance in the cash-rich league this year. In 13 matches of IPL 2024, the right-handed batter scored 303 runs and also picked up three wickets with his medium-paced bowling. For his brilliant performance with the bat and ball in this year’s IPL, the youngster won the Emerging Player of the Year award and also earned his maiden India call-up.
According to him, “I really admire Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. I’ve been a huge fan of RCB for the last 10 years. In 2023, I had the chance to meet Virat Kohli. I didn’t have much to ask him; I just wanted to shake his hand and get his autograph. In 2024, I was hoping to play well against RCB so that Virat Kohli would notice my game. Though I didn’t get to bat in that match, he remembered my name during the post-match handshake. That meant a lot to me,” the youngster told ESPN Cricinfo
Reddy, who is a medium-pace bowling all-rounder, also revealed that Indian star Hardik Pandya and England’s Test captain Ben Stokes are his inspirations for being an all-rounder and said that during IPL 2024 he received a message from Pandya in which the 30-year-old praised his intent and energy on the field.
“Hardik Bhai sent me a message saying the intent and energy I was giving on the field were good and to keep respecting the game. He said we would talk soon. I was shocked to see his message after the IPL season, especially since he was busy with World Cup duties. Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes are my inspirations for being an all-rounder. I replied, thanking him for his message.”
He was included in India’s squad for the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, but due to injury, he missed the overseas assignment, which India won by a margin of 4-1 under Shubman Gill’s leadership.
