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SPORTS OCTOBER 18, 2024 | The Indian Eye 46

An all-rounder is born: How IPL and

Gautam Gambhir shaped Nitish Reddy

In this year’s IPL, the young all-rounder, who represented runners-up Sunrisers

Hyderabad (SRH) was chosen as the ‘Emerging Player of the Tournament’

OUR BUREAU the official social media handle of
the Board of Control for Cricket in
New Delhi
India (BCCI), Nitish recalled when
ust in his second T20I, Nitish Gambhir asked him to believe in his
Reddy delivered a performance bowling. The youngster added that
Jto remember with an explosive Gambhir’s words boosted his confi-
knock of 74 and two wickets to go dence. “To be honest, I should thank
with it, helping India secure a massive Gautam sir for this. He gave me a lot
86-run win over Bangladesh at Delhi’s of confidence. He told me to believe
Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday. in my bowling and told me ‘when you
The Indian all-rounder said that he are bowling, you should think like a
is working on his bowling with coach bowler. You should not think you are
Morne Morkel in his goal to be a gen- a batter who can bowl, you should
uine all-round option and added that consider yourself a bowler’. That
the South African great gives him a somehow boosted me. I would like to
lot of confidence. thank Gautam for this,” Nitish Reddy
Speaking to JioCinema after said.
the game, Reddy provided insight Former Indian cricketer Aakash
into his bowling preparations and Chopra heaped praise on all-round-
conversations with Morne Morkel, er Nitish Kumar Reddy following
saying, “Yes, I am working on my his marvellous performance against
bowling. I want to be more consistent Bangladesh in the second T20I of the
because that will help me grow as a three-match series here.
good all-rounder. He is a great coach “I would say this match was ded-
and gives me a lot of confidence, so I icated to Nitish Kumar Reddy. What
am very grateful to have him on the was being tried? He was made to bat
team. The plans here are very differ- at No. 4. You get a chance to leave a
ent, and they have been really helpful good impression at No. 4. You don’t
for my development and skill.” get that number quickly. Riyan Parag
Nitish said that while batting at or Rinku Singh could have got that
number four works for him, he can number but the captain and coach
bat anywhere. “You can send me to asked Nitish Kumar Reddy to go
open, middle-order, or lower-order. I there because they are fast-tracking
have batted in previous age groups as him,” Chopra said on his YouTube
well, so I was ready for everything,” channel.
he added. On his plan to tackle spin- Following his side’s win over
ners, against who he scored 53 off Bangladesh in the second T20I, In-
19 balls in his knock, the all-rounder dian skipper Suryakumar Yadav said
said that he has worked hard on his that he wanted the middle-order bat-
skill to take on spinners, especially ters to bat in a tricky situation after
his bat swing. losing three early wickets and lauded
“After my first year, I realized all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy for
I needed to improve in this area. It his fine performance with bat and ball.
feels good to see that hard work pay- Speaking after the game in the
ing off,” he added. post-match presentation, Suryaku-
Speaking on the role of Indian mar said, “I wanted that situation,
Premier League (IPL) in his develop- Nitish Reddy bowls during the second T20I match against Bangladesh at the Arun Jaitley wanted my batters (middle order bat-
ment, Nitish said, “At the start, I did ters Rinku Singh, Nitish and Hardik
not expect to bat at No. 4. I was being Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday (ANI) Pandya) in that situation (after be-
looked at as a proper all-rounder who ing reduced to 41/3). Happy for both
could bat in the lower order. But when all-rounder, who represented run- and a strike rate of over 142, with two Rinku and Nitish. They batted exact-
I performed against Punjab, that is ners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) fifties and best score of 76*. He also ly the way I wanted. You got to go
when they believed in me and gave was chosen as the ‘Emerging Player took three wickets in the tournament out there and express. Just the jersey
me the chance at No. 4,” he added. of the Tournament’, scoring 303 runs with his pace bowling. changes, the rest remaining remains
In this year’s IPL, the young in 11 innings at an average of 33.66 Speaking in a video shared on the same.”

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