Some people doubted me like a youngster who played IPL, just want to make them feel wrong: Nitish Kumar Reddy

In the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Nitish Kumar Reddy has been among India’s most reliable actors. He frequently scored over 40 while batting at number seven, even though he had very little help from the opposition. The youthful player took advantage of the fact that Reddy finally had a good batter on the other end in Washington Sundar during the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to record his first Test century.

In the meantime, he received harsh criticism for being called up to the team for the current Australia series. Despite Reddy’s strong IPL season, the team management and selectors were criticised for selecting him because he hasn’t played enough First Class cricket. The 21-year-old said after his century at MCG that it inspired him to score those runs because he was anxious to show the Indian squad that he was capable of defeating the criticism.

Some questioned me, saying that a young player who participated in the IPL couldn’t compete in such a major series.

Many others, I know, did speak in that manner. All I want is to make them feel bad about their remarks about me. The Indian squad has my undivided attention, and I want people to know that. For you guys, it’s probably one or two months. It seems to me that I can see the last two or three years. How diligently I’ve been honing my bowling and batting,” Reddy stated during the news conference.

I adore Virat Kohli: Nitish Kumar Reddy.

For his century at MCG, Reddy also shared a memorable experience with his idol, Virat Kohli, who gave him a standing ovation. He recounted sitting at the same crease as Kohli during his century-hitting performance in Perth. He also shared what the former India skipper said following his amazing century.

“I’ve been watching Virat since I was a kid. He is my hero, and I’ve now had the opportunity to play with him,” Reddy added. In Perth, I was at the non-striker’s end when he reached a hundred. I was overjoyed. Now, he was grateful that I had scored a century. He approached me and said, “You got the team back in the game, and you played really well.” That’s when I’m at my finest,” Reddy remarked.