The 23-year-old Nitish Kumar Reddy put his injury woes behind him with a Player of the Match performance in the second T20I against Afghanistan on Tuesday night. The all-rounder’s previous bilateral assignment was against the same opponents during the three- match ODI series in Chennai before getting injured.
After going wicketless in the first match, Reddy picked up a career-best 3/24 in New Delhi. He dismissed Afghan skipper Ibrahim Zadran for 37, and then he got the wickets of Gulbadin Naib and Rashid Khan. Former Indian batter Aakash Chopra praised the youngster for his performance, saying Nitish’s bowling has raised expectations.
“India’s problem was what the fifth bowler would do, how he would bowl and whether he would be able to pick up wickets. I am happy with how things went. Jasprit Bumrah conceded 25 runs and took one wicket. He is gold. He bowls the same way whenever he is called upon,” Chopra said.
“Nitish Kumar Reddy claimed three wickets for 24 runs from three overs. He even bowled the final over. Nitish has now raised expectations. He seems to be putting his name as a potential Hardik Pandya replacement,” he added.
Bumrah was impressive in his four overs. Arshdeep Singh dismissed two batters while Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi took one scalp each. The Men in Blue restricted Afghanistan to 159 and won the game by seven wickets, clinching the series with a game left.
Nitish opines on his performance
Nitish Kumar Reddy spoke to BCCI at the end of the game and revealed how he felt after the three-month layoff. “Injuries happen. I am an all-rounder, and there is more load on me. I have to keep focus on my fitness and recovery. I am happy to tick all the boxes, but when you get injured, it makes you feel sad, but it is all about the mindset,” he said.
He also added, “You have to be mentally strong and don’t let negative talk and people impact you. One must have a positive mindset and do the right things. God will give you things at the right time.” The youngster mentioned that it was a privilege to be part of the Indian side, and he thanked the management for trusting him.