Sporting the India blue jersey for the primary time earlier than the T20I collection opener in opposition to Bangladesh earlier this month, Nitish Kumar Reddy felt a surge of happiness that prompted him to take a mirror selfie. In a while, he discovered himself glued to that image on his telephone, savouring the happiness of realising a dream he had nurtured since he first began enjoying the game as a toddler – to play for India. Reddy’s distinctive efficiency of constructing 303 runs in 11 innings and taking three wickets together with his seam-up for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024 earned him the Rising Participant of the Season award. It led to his fast entry to the nationwide set-up by way of a call-up for the 5 T20Is in opposition to Zimbabwe in July. However a hernia situation prevented him from becoming a member of the tour, delaying his probability to play for India.

The wait lastly culminated within the lead-up to India’s first T20I in opposition to Bangladesh in Gwalior, the place Reddy made his worldwide debut. “That second, I felt prouder of myself on how far I had come, one thing I had dreamt of. Now, I used to be lastly about to symbolize India, as I knew I used to be going to get an opportunity within the first match.

“I used to be so excited, and on the similar time, that nervousness was additionally there of representing India. However I at all times used to consider that whoever handles that stress nicely, they’re those going to maintain enjoying at an even bigger degree. So it by some means helped me to handle that stress and did nicely within the collection,” stated Reddy in an unique dialog with IANS.

Reddy is presently in Mackay, Australia, the place India A is making ready to compete within the first of two four-day matches in opposition to Australia A starting on Thursday. Along with his choice in India’s squad for the essential Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Reddy is a contender to satisfy India’s quest for a proficient fast-bowling all-rounder in Checks.

‘To be sincere, I used to be so excited to play in Australia with India A squad as a result of I’d get somewhat extra expertise of enjoying on the Australian pitches and situations earlier than going into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

“Once I heard the information that I had been chosen within the Indian Check cricket crew, I used to be very completely happy, because it’s everybody’s dream to play for India in white-ball and extra so, in red-ball cricket. For me, that dream is now on the verge of turning into a actuality. I simply need to enhance myself as a lot as I can and ship via performances for the Indian crew,” he added.

Being in Australia, a favoured location for quick bowlers, Reddy has taken notes of modifications required to achieve such situations. “I can discover some distinction between Indian and Australian pitches – the bounce over here’s a bit increased than ones we’ve got again house, which needs to be adjusted accordingly, and that is what we’re precisely attempting to do right here.

“When I’m practising my bowling, I’m simply having fun with the bounce balls getting right here and adjusting accordingly. Hitting that five-six metre size is kind of good in Australia, as again in India it is advisable to hit that six-metre size for good size balls.”

The Indian crew administration, led by coach Gautam Gambhir, additionally acknowledges Reddy’s bowling abilities and the reward it may deliver. “They’re anticipating some overs from me as nicely. They already understand how I bat and have wished me to bowl constant lengths with the red-ball. Particularly they did not point out my function, however they’ve wished for me to make the most of my bowling abilities as nicely,” he said.

Reddy’s entry into the limelight started in red-ball cricket when he opened the 2017/18 Vijay Service provider Trophy with a triple-century in opposition to Tamil Nadu, then hit 190 in opposition to Karnataka, and went on to attain an enormous 441 runs off 345 balls in opposition to Nagaland. He obtained the glory of being the highest U-16 cricketer on the 2018 BCCI awards for scoring 1237 runs with a mean of 176.41.

Whereas shifting from age-group cricket to representing Andhra in first-class cricket, Reddy, a right-handed batsman, shifted to being a lower-order batter to concentrate on making use of his seam-bowling talents. Assuming the new-ball bowling duties for Andhra proved to achieve success as he secured 25 wickets, probably the most by a bowler from his state within the final season of the Ranji Trophy.

Regardless of his batting common of 21.45 in first-class cricket, Reddy is assured of turning it round with the bat, because of his shadow batting routine. “I’d say shadow apply is the one factor that modified all the pieces for me. I nonetheless bear in mind after I was at U14 and U16, I used to do shadow working towards loads as a result of my father used to scold me for doing this factor.

“In some way I left that after which forgot about it in center. Now from the previous two years, I began doing the shadow apply once more, and that has made loads of affect on my cricket. I at all times need to be sure that I do good shadow apply for no less than 30-45 minutes within the day, as that is the one factor I do mentally earlier than going for a sport.”

The affect of working towards within the shadows and enhancing his potential to hit highly effective pictures whereas enjoying for SRH was clear in his 64 runs in opposition to Punjab Kings, which helped SRH win by a single run. His undefeated 76 runs in opposition to Rajasthan Royals led the crew to a two-run victory. Probably the most highly effective affect, although, got here by way of a wide ranging 74 scored in opposition to Bangladesh in New Delhi on October 9.

Throughout the power-play on the Arun Jaitley Stadium sport, India misplaced captain Suryakumar Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, and Sanju Samson. Reddy and Rinku Singh supposed to rotate strike and modify to the scenario. Nevertheless, Reddy was biding his time to strike, and the chance arose when he hit a six off a free-hit resulting from a no-ball from Mahmudullah.

Reddy’s highly effective hitting on the leg-side helped him rating 74 runs in simply 34 balls, finally securing India’s series-winning triumph from a difficult place. “I noticed that second got here when the spinner was coming to bowl at the moment and I felt that is the over to do it. Once I took that probability, the Bangladesh crew went down.

“When that spinner got here (Rishad Hossain), I bear in mind hitting two sixes down the bottom they usually had been again underneath stress. For the primary six overs, we had been in stress and after I truly freed my arms at the moment they had been despatched underneath stress. That is the place I noticed the worry of their faces and did what I needed to do.”

Reddy totally researches what’s required of him when it comes to batting and bowling for any sport, with assist from analysts, whatever the format. “For batting preparation, I simply need to see how they bowl, like have they got googly, off-break or leg-spin, the form of slower ones they bowl – both off-cutter or again of the arm.”

“I additionally see what variation is there in them, in order that after I go and play within the center, it shouldn’t be shocking for me. From a bowling perspective, it is all about planning what to bowl in numerous scenario. Like, if off-side is an even bigger boundary, I can bowl wide-yorkers or wide-slow ones. I additionally watch batters’ movies for seeing what pictures they’re sturdy in and what lengths I can bowl to curb them.”

The potential for Reddy dealing with Pat Cummins and Travis Head within the Border-Gavaskar Trophy excites him, particularly since they had been beforehand related on the SRH camp, with Cummins as his captain and Head as his teammate.

“I need to expertise how it’s like enjoying in opposition to them, as in comparison with enjoying with Pat and Travis at SRH. Let’s have a look at the way it goes and I hope all the pieces goes as per how we plan accordingly.”

Exterior of cricket, Reddy likes going for a stroll together with his team-mates in streets after dinner and watching films of Telugu movie actor Mahesh Babu, of who he’s an enormous fan. He additionally enjoys enjoying loads of PUBG together with his associates, which he calls as a ‘stress buster’.

“It has been five-six years of enjoying this sport. Like every time I had a nasty or not so completely happy performances, I form of come to play PUBG and that is form of satisfying and refreshing for me.”

Whereas passionate cricket followers would get up at 4:30 am to observe India’s Checks in Australia, a younger Reddy would begin his day at 5 am, making ready to journey 20 km each day to apply on the Visakhapatnam stadium.

Regardless of not with the ability to watch India’s Checks in Australia on TV, he seemed ahead to catching up on them as soon as he was again house. He fondly remembers each Check India performed in Australia as ‘so good’, particularly the extreme matchups between the formidable Australian crew and the skillful Indian gamers.

Reddy will face intense all-round scrutiny as he competes in overseas situations for the primary time via the India ‘A’ aspect, in opposition to the likes of worldwide gamers like Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris.

However Reddy’s expertise of performing in high-pressure conditions within the IPL and a previous style of enjoying worldwide cricket are anticipated to provide him a bonus as he strives to satisfy one other childhood dream – of enjoying Check cricket for India.

(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)