Nitish Reddy confident in versatile batting abilities: 'I can bat anywhere'

New Delhi: All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy captivated the crowd at the Arun Jaitley Stadium with an electrifying display of six-hitting, smashing a remarkable 74 off just 34 balls. His performance was instrumental in India's commanding 86-run victory over Bangladesh, securing a decisive 2-0 series lead.

Apart from his batting, Reddy also showed his seam-bowling skills and took 2-23 to complete a stunning all-round show. “We planned to play fearless cricket, and that’s what helped me. I took my time, and once I saw the over where I needed to attack, that’s when everything changed. I feel great in this moment.”

“It’s working quite well, but I can bat anywhere. You can send me to open, middle-order, or lower-order. I’ve batted in previous age groups as well, so I was ready for everything. But this No. 4 position is working for me too,” said Reddy in a conversation with JioCinema.

Reddy was 13 off 13 balls at one point, before hitting a six on a no-ball off Mahmudullah flicked a switch in him to attack the Bangladesh bowlers with humungous shots, especially on the leg-side.

“I practiced with that bat and felt it was very good, but I believed in another bat, so I was a bit confused. Then I changed my bat and trusted it. That no-ball gave me a bit of pressure relief, and from there, I took the game on.

“It’s my individual plan. At that moment, Bangladesh had great momentum, so we thought to take some time. I felt that no-ball changed everything when I hit the six off it, and then we got charged up and everything went in the right direction. That was the over we targeted because an off-spinner was bowling to a right-hander. It was a big moment, but I was backing my power,” he added.

Reddy hit his first international fifty in 27 balls, while sharing a whirlwind 108-run stand with fellow half-centurion Rinku Singh. “We didn’t plan anything. He was just saying, ‘It’s God’s plan, baby!’ After every six, it was ‘God’s plan.’ We didn’t really think about it too much.

“I didn’t have that skill (of attacking spinners) from the beginning, but I’ve worked hard on it, along with my bat swing. After my first year, I realised I needed to improve in this area. It feels good to see that hard work paying off.”

Reddy provided how conversations with bowling coach Morne Morkel helped him come good with the ball. “Yes, I am working on my bowling. I want to be more consistent because that will help me grow as a good all-rounder.

“He’s a great coach and gives me a lot of confidence, so I am very grateful to have him on the team. The plans here are very different, and they’ve been really helpful for my development and skill.”

Reddy signed off by speaking about the role of his stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL helping his development as an all-rounder. “At the start, I didn’t expect to bat at No. 4. I was being looked at as a proper all-rounder who could bat in the lower order. But when I performed against Punjab, that’s when they believed in me and gave me the chance at No. 4.”