‘Genuine pace all-rounder’ Nitish Kumar Reddy could be next Hardik Pandya for India

The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) pulled off a dramatic one-run victory against table-toppers Rajasthan Royals (RR), and a big reason for their success was a breakout performance by young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivers in clutch

Magician Bhuvneshwar Kumar‘s nerves of steel secured the win, defending 13 runs in the final over. Earlier, his crucial wickets of Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson in the first over set the tone for SRH’s bowling attack.

Nitish Kunar Reddy in the post-match press conference said:

“I was like who gonna bowl the last over. Then I saw Bhuvi bhai (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) coming to bowl and somehow got the confidence that he is gonna pull this match. In his prime, Bhuvneshwar used to continuously deliver on occasions like this. This time I didn’t thought we were going to win. I thought it’s going to draw or they are going to win. I didn’t expect the last-ball wicket. I was so happy.”

Nitish Kumar Reddy emerges as batting hero

However, the spotlight shines brightly on Nitish Kumar Reddy. His unbeaten 76 off just 42 balls was instrumental in propelling SRH to a competitive total of 210/3. This knock comes on the heels of another impressive performance against RR and PBKS – this season.

Promoted to the top order this season, the 20-year-old has grabbed his opportunity with both hands. Coming in at a precarious 35/2, Reddy initially played cautiously, scoring just 5 runs from his first 10 balls.

Nitish Kumar Reddy destroys Yuzvendra Chahal

But a shift in gears saw him attack the RR spinners, particularly Yuzvendra Chahal. SRH all-rounder smashed Chahal for a whopping 21 runs in a single over, reaching his fifty in just 30 balls. Back-to-back sixes off Ashwin further cemented his dominance.

Building for Heinrich Klaasen’s Power

Nitish Kumar Reddy acknowledged his role is to bat steadily until the middle overs, allowing big hitters like Heinrich Klaasen to take over the scoring later in the innings. His calculated aggression against the spinners ensured a strong platform for the lower order to capitalize on.

Nitish told media:

“From the last two matches, it is happening like this. My role is to carry till 14th over-13th over to get Heinrich Klaasen to bang. So there is no point if Heinrich Klaasen is getting to bat in 8th over and they can’t score freely. I was trying to build the innings and attack the one over. So exactly at the time I saw Yuzvendra Chahal coming – I had to go for Chahal and that over went pretty well.”

Nitish Kumar Reddy: Genuine All-Rounder like Hardik Pandya

Nitish Kumar Reddy isn’t just a batting revelation. He aspires to be a complete all-rounder, having expressed his desire to contribute with both bat and ball. He’s been waiting for a chance to showcase his batting talent, and this season, SRH has provided him with the platform.

“Actually last year also I was waiting for batting opportunity which I did not get but I did get to bowl. I am a genuine all-rounder who can bat, ball and field as well. So I am looking forward for the all-round performance. I was waiting for this batting opportunity since last year. This year management gave me a chance and I don’t want to throw it away,” he said.

For the unversed, Nitish Kumar Reddy bowls fast seam which makes him valuable asset for Team India – hence many on social media has primed SRH all-rounder to be next Hardik Pandya.

Nitish Kumar Reddy success a boost for SRH

This win against the top-ranked Royals comes after two consecutive losses for SRH. Reddy’s knock, along with the team’s overall performance, injects a much-needed dose of confidence into their campaign.

“It’s so important actually back to back we lost two matches and coming here and beating Rajasthan Royals who are the table toppers will boost our confidence,” Niish said.

Nitish Kumar Reddy has emerged as a vital cog in the SRH batting line-up. His all-round capabilities could be the missing piece that propels them towards greater success in the remaining IPL season.