Nitish Kumar Reddy Reflects on His Journey Ahead of IPL 2025
Nitish Kumar Reddy's Rise in Cricket
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 20: As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 approaches, Nitish Kumar Reddy recently spoke with PUMA India about his rapid ascent in cricket. He reminisced about his record-setting century during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the playful moments in the dressing room that led to a memorable gift from Virat Kohli, forever linked to that remarkable innings.
A devoted admirer of Kohli, Nitish couldn't resist when the cricket icon offered him a coveted pair of his shoes. Wearing them at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, he made history by becoming the first Indian to score a Test century from the No. 8 position in Australia, joining the ranks of Sachin Tendulkar and Rishabh Pant as one of the youngest Indian centurions there, while also setting a record for the most sixes by an Indian in a Test series in Australia.
In a podcast, Reddy recounted a humorous moment in the locker room when Kohli asked Sarfaraz Khan about his shoe size. After Sarfaraz replied with 'Nine,' Nitish felt the pressure to guess correctly, wanting the shoes badly. He guessed '10,' and Kohli handed them over. In the following match, he wore those shoes and scored a century!
With the cricket season on the horizon, Nitish has established himself as a promising young talent. Last season, he played a crucial role in leading his team, Sunrisers Hyderabad, to the IPL finals, amassing 303 runs and taking three wickets under the calm leadership of Pat Cummins. Aspiring to be a top all-rounder, he has sought guidance from Hardik Pandya and made a strong impression during his debut in Bangladesh before his BGT achievements.
Amid the celebrations following his unforgettable century in Melbourne, Nitish was on the lookout for two specific individuals.
“While everyone congratulated me in the dressing room, I was eager to find one person—hoping he would come over to me. When Virat bhai (Kohli) finally approached and praised my performance, that moment was incredibly special. I was also scanning the stands for my father but couldn't spot him. Later, I saw on the screen that he was in tears,” he shared.
Nitish acknowledged his father and uncle for their pivotal roles in his cricketing journey, noting that they were present in the stands that day, witnessing him salute the tricolor in front of a roaring crowd of 80,000.
Beyond the significant moments, Nitish also shared some lighter anecdotes from his time in Australia, including a playful exchange with his teammate Travis Head, who attempted to distract him with talk of partying.
“Travis approached me and asked, ‘Nitish, where are you going to party tonight?’ knowing I wouldn’t. He continued, ‘Australia is such a great place. Melbourne is amazing; you have to go out and chill.’ He was just trying to throw me off my game. I replied, ‘Okay, Travis, one day we’ll both go and party!’ During another match, while fielding at short leg, he warned me, ‘Nitish, if you hit me, I’ll hit you when you bowl!’”
The young cricketer has also formed strong bonds with India's next generation of stars, having progressed alongside Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma, and others from U-13 to U-19 cricket.
“We’ve all put in the effort to reach this point, and it’s paying off now. I appreciate their energy and performance,” he remarked during the interview.
Off the field, this Gen Z cricketer has a passion for anime. A devoted Naruto fan, he collects action figures and has even introduced it to Abhishek Sharma.
“But he still calls it cartoons just to annoy me,” Nitish chuckled.
When he’s not on the field or discussing anime, Nitish enjoys unwinding with friends through intense gaming sessions, which he considers his ultimate stress relievers.