Suddenly, it feels like India have found a pace-bowling all-rounder who can bowl at decent speeds and play the modern, attacking style of cricket. Does that sound like Hardik Pandya? Yes, but the player in question is Nitish Kumar Reddy.
On Wednesday, Reddy became the second-youngest Indian to win a T20I Player of the Match award (21 years, 136 days), just behind Rohit Sharma’s record of 20 years and 143 days. This followed his standout performance in the second T20I against Bangladesh at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, where he shone with both bat (74 off 34) and ball (2/23).
It takes some effort for any youngster to make Gautam Gambhir stand up and applaud, and that’s what India’s head coach did after Reddy took the Bangladeshi bowlers to the cleaners. Yes, India have found an extremely promising all-rounder, but can he climb the ladder quick enough to be retained by SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), or even find a spot in the squad for the Australia tour later this year?
Reddy is no stranger to those who follow age-group cricket. Although he had a breakthrough season in IPL 2024, his debut for SunRisers Hyderabad came in the 2023 edition – a steep learning curve and a somewhat forgettable experience.
Growing up in Visakhapatnam, Reddy was a top-order batter who regularly topped the run charts while also being a handy medium pacer. A fan of Virat Kohli, Reddy set the record books ablaze during the 2017-18 Vijay Merchant season, scoring 1,237 runs at a staggering average of 176.41. This included a triple century, two tons, two half-centuries, and an astonishing 441-run knock against Nagaland.
Despite his early promise and being tipped as the ‘next big thing’, Reddy did not attract much media attention, even after being named the ‘Best Cricketer in the U-16 category’ at the BCCI Annual Awards in 2018. He later represented India B in the U-19 age group circuit. However, his journey wasn’t without setbacks. Over a couple of seasons, he struggled and even considered quitting bowling to focus solely on batting. It was only after being persuaded by his coach, Srinivas Reddy, and meeting Pandya at the NCA that he set his sights on becoming India’s leading pace-bowling all-rounder.
In his U-16 days, Reddy was both an opening batter and bowler, but he had to adjust his game to reduce the strain on his body. He transitioned to the middle order, though it took time to find his rhythm in this new role. Reddy made his first-class debut for Andhra in 2020, and has made 627 runs at a modest average of 20.96 in 20 matches, alongside taking 54 wickets.
His breakthrough came in 2023, though his first couple of games with SunRisers Hyderabad were forgettable – he didn’t bat and conceded 54 runs in just five overs. However, SRH showed faith in him, retaining him ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. Reddy then became a household name during the tournament, as SRH showcased an aggressive brand of cricket. Although Reddy’s role wasn’t as explosive as his teammates, Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, he contributed 303 runs at an impressive strike-rate of 142.92. Being a local, Reddy quickly became a cult figure for the SRH fans.
With the Indian team in need of another pace-bowling all-rounder to complement Pandya, especially someone capable of performing across formats, Reddy was quickly called up for India’s T20I squad for the Zimbabwe tour earlier this year. Unfortunately, he missed the opportunity due to a hernia issue. However, while undergoing rehab in Bengaluru, sources told RevSportz that the staff at the NCA were highly impressed by Reddy’s dedication, discipline, and work ethic. Some even suggested that the 21-year-old could bowl at speeds of 145 kph in the near future. In the current series, he has consistently bowled in the mid-to-late 130 kph range.
For SunRisers Hyderabad, retaining Reddy could cost them a few extra crores from their Rs 120 crore budget, with his retention cost now at least Rs 11 crore. However, Reddy’s growing reputation could fetch him even more in the IPL auction, should SRH release him to save money. As it stands, retaining Reddy alongside Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, and Abhishek Sharma seems like a no-brainer for the franchise. And it’s not only the IPL. Reddy could also find himself on the flight to Australia later this year given the shaky fitness history of Shardul Thakur. For Reddy, at 21, the future is immensely bright.