Nitish Kumar Reddy (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Nitish Kumar Reddy had the world at his feet when he scored his maiden Test century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 2024. In his debut series, the all-rounder showed great promise and offered India hope of ending the search for a seam all-rounder in the format and providing a solid option in limited-overs cricket. His T20I debut was followed quickly by his entry into the ODI setup; within 12 months he had become a regular member of the team.However, performances fell short of initial potential and promise, and ill-timed injuries never allowed him to put a consistent foot forward. He was part of the squad for the Test series in England, but an injury before the Manchester Test ruled him out of the last two matches.Even after he regained fitness, management never found a way to unlock his potential. The batting numbers remained debatable for the Whites and the bowling options raised many pertinent questions. They kept him in the scheme of things, but the message remained clear: the selectors and coaches wanted him to improve his bowling significantly. With this clear direction, the young man had his task.
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India’s Nitish Kumar Reddy fields during the third ODI cricket match between India and New Zealand, at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. (PTI Photo/Atul Yadav)
In addition, we changed my load because the upper body was slightly tilted and the right arm folded. So we tried to keep my hand as straight as possible. It’s not completely changed, it’s half done and we’re working on it. So far, I’m very happy that we’ve made it this far. I changed these two things and still need to implement a few more changes to my bowling. Since we only had seven days, we changed it. We will make more changes in the future.Q. Did you approach Steffan for advice as a cricketer?Reddy: It was my personal decision because I watched him on YouTube and Instagram where he talks a lot about bowling, but I never got a chance to talk to him because I was always playing. I wanted to talk to him after the release and reached out during the break. I also asked some players who worked with him. Some players from Andhra (Pradesh) and Hyderabad. I asked them how the guy was working and they spoke highly of him. So I thought I’d give it a try and it was definitely the right decision.Q: The last IPL season with SRH was not ideal. What went wrong?Reddy: After the injury I was not 100% (fit) and I was a bit more cautious. The thought of avoiding injury made me more cautious and my preparation wasn’t ideal as I went straight into matches. It discouraged me and a few bad plays put me out of the game. But this year I had a good amount of time to prepare, similar to the first year, and by following the same procedures, I found myself in a very good space to perform. So that’s the only difference.Q: How did you deal with such setbacks and challenges, especially after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy bumper where you announced your arrival with a hundred at the MCG – in front of your family.Reddy: If you ask any athlete in the world, they would say that it is a tough phase. Seeing the highs in your life and then seeing your lows. You will blame yourself because you are not that experienced at that time. I mean see the highs and see the lows again. That’s when I saw it for the first time. I really wanted to work hard and push myself during that period, but I ended up getting injured. That’s why I’m now focusing on the optimal preparation time. I am versatile and I have to take care of my body as well. If you ask me, failure is just as important as success. I’m grateful that I tasted failure because I learned a lot from that season, which helped me bounce back.Q: How much did you realize the importance of mental strength during this period?Reddy: Mental strength is something I always look up to because I have seen so much cricket – on TV and on the ground. Great players like MS Dhoni bhai succeeded because of their mental strength and mind. I mean, everything plays out in such a smart way. And sometimes you need to be smart enough to read the situation well. That’s what Mahi bhai does so well and that’s what inspired me so much. Failures will keep coming in your life and if you stand tall, with a strong mindset during these times, you can do anything.Q: How did it work with? Daniel Vettoriinteraction with Pat Cummins and now plays under Ishan kishan?Reddy: It was good. They have good experience behind them and as youngsters with fresh talent you always look to experience because that is what helps you in the game. Ishan, Cummins and Vettori are all very experienced. Even Henrich Klaasen. These individuals helped me a lot.
Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Ishan Kishan (left) chats with Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Nitish Kumar Reddy during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad, India, Monday, April 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
Q. You have done a tough job for SRH this season: rebuilding the middle overs, finishing the innings and then bowling with the new ball in the middle overs as well. Do you enjoy a challenge?Reddy: The job of an all-rounder is tough, you have to be ready wherever and whenever the team needs you. IPL really helps me play different roles because my role is not fixed. I play #4, 5, 6… wherever I can. I am ready to do whatever the management requires. In terms of bowling, I really wanted the challenge of using the new ball, bowling in the middle overs and bowling in the slog overs so that I would have experienced those situations before and be ready whenever the time came.Q: T20 is a ruthless format – if you could elaborate on your preparation specifically for bowling. Adding variations, staying one step ahead… especially in a franchise that has changed the way T20 batting is approached now.Reddy: I always feel that you need to have some variation and the most important thing is the execution. Of course I practiced my slower balls, slow bouncers, yorkers and wide yorkers. But in terms of execution, I feel that if you do all those things well, you get the key wickets that the team really needs in that situation.
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Nitish Kumar Reddy celebrates his fifty runs during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants in Hyderabad, India, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
Q: Have you found a sweet spot with regards to preparation? Understanding when to stop when it comes to conditioning and preparation as the all-rounder’s body takes a toll.Reddy: As I mentioned last season, I worked so hard that I overdid things that I shouldn’t have done as an all-rounder. I realize it now. As an all-rounder, I have to keep my body safe and train enough at the moment. Now I’m not exaggerating. So now I take more care of my body and also make sure I prepare enough to be ready for the games. And one thing I actually look up to is recovery. So I found some things that really help me in my recovery, some products that I can use for my recovery and also good nutrition. So all these things together help me a lot.Q: What’s next for NKR? The ODI World Cup is coming up. Have you locked your target?Reddy: If you ask any player, being part of the World Cup squad is a dream come true. Just playing for India is a great moment. But coming to the World Cup is something else. Everyone wants to be part of the team that won the World Cup – that’s the dream. I have worked very hard on my game and I hope I get a chance to show myself.
