Nitish Reddy's Ambition to Become a Versatile Allrounder

Melbourne: The day after being hailed as a national hero, Nitish Reddy proved why he is a force to be reckoned with.

His innings finally finished on 114 off 189 balls on the morning of Day 4, caught at long on by Mitch Starc off Nathan Lyon to be the last man out. When he came for the press conference, his joy was obvious but more heartening was his intent to improve his allround skills.

As good a batter as he has shown himself to be in the series (293 runs, avg 58.60), Reddy knows that his seam bowling isn’t up to Test level yet. But he doesn’t intend to let it remain like that.

“My expectations (at the start of the tour) was to be a pure allrounder, and I know I still need to work a little bit more on my bowling, I’m still not happy with the way I’m bowling, and I hope that I come back strong in bowling. I want to fulfil that allrounder slot in the coming days,” said the 21-year-old after Sunday’s play.

But at the same time, he was very clear that the performances now aren’t a flash in the pan. Rather, they are a result of the hard work he has put in over the last few years.

“I can see my last three years, two years, how hard I have been working on my batting and bowling, obviously fitness is main for me as an allrounder, and I kept pushing myself,” said Reddy. “After my first IPL season (2023), I realised what I have to improve on my batting, and when I got the off phase (time off), I have worked a lot on my batting and that’s what is working now. It’s not about the one month and two months, I have done the work from the last two to three years to come here.”

It is the ability to keep pushing that really sets him apart from many. All international cricketers are working hard but his gains have been swift, and that also shows how well he understands the needs of the game. At 21, he is very much in his growth phase but he brushed aside the criticism he has received from some quarters.

“I know some people doubted me,” said Reddy. “Like such a youngster who played IPL, who came here, and he can’t perform in such a big series; and I know a lot of people talk about that. I just want to make them feel wrong about what they have said about me, and that’s what I’m doing. I want to make people know that I’m here to give my 100% for the Indian team.”

And if they didn’t realise that on Saturday, they never will. A big Virat Kohli fan, having his idol appreciate and congratulate him was dream come true.

“It was such a grateful moment for me, I’ve been watching Virat since childhood and making him as my idol and grown up, now finally I played with him. He scored a hundred when I was in non-strike (in Perth), I felt so happy. I scored a hundred and when he appreciated me, he came to me and said “you really played well, you got the team back in the game,” I felt so happy for that. I always dreamed about this moment, and finally when he talked with me that’s the best moment for me.

“And yeah, I don’t know, the crowd went crazy after Siraj’s last ball defence, even my century was not that loud I guess, but I really loved the way Siraj came and approached three balls and I should thank him for making my 100.”

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