Batting for only the second time in an IPL game, the 20-year-old scored 64 off 37 and took home Player of the Match award ©BCCI/IPL
Nitish Kumar Reddy has a Vijay Merchant Trophy quadruple ton to his name as an opener for Andhra. But the jump from age-group cricket to the big stage hasn't been straightforward. His debut season in the IPL last year saw him feature in just two games as a bowler with no batting opportunity in either outings.
It was in order to preserve his rare skillset - of a genuine pace-bowling allrounder - that his coaches and advisors had suggested a switch to the middle order for Reddy the batter in his late teens. Only his second game into IPL 2024 now, the 20-year-old proved why the batting promotion was worth the punt from the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
It was not without reason though as a lot had gone down between the two seasons. Reddy of 2023 was more a conventional batter with conventional shots, but after getting a taste of IPL the youngster had worked tirelessly on improving his range. With the preparation in place, Reddy executed those plans well enough in the pre-season practice games to leave a lasting impact on his captain and the think-tank. As soon as an opportunity arose - with Mayank Agarwal's illness in Chennai last week - Reddy was on. A six for the winning shot against CSK was enough for him to keep his place in the XI even as Agarwal pulled up fit
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