Nitish Kumar Reddy – The Rise of a Modern Indian All-Rounder
Kaki Nitish Kumar Reddy (Telugu: [nitiːʃ kumaːɾ ɾeɖːiː]; born 26 May 2003) is a professional Indian cricketer. A right-handed batter and right-arm medium-fast bowler, Nitish is known for his all-round abilities across formats. He represents India at the international level, Andhra in domestic cricket, and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He made his T20I debut in October 2024 and earned his Test cap in November 2024 during the Border–Gavaskar Trophy.
Early Life and Background
Born in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, Nitish was introduced to cricket at the age of 5. His father, Mutyala Reddy, a former Hindustan Zinc employee, played a pivotal role in shaping his cricketing future. After being transferred to Udaipur, his father quit his job to support Nitish’s cricket aspirations—a bold move that eventually paid off.
He trained at VDCA camps under coaches Kumaraswamy, Krishna Rao, and Watekar before being noticed by MSK Prasad during age-group tournaments. Nitish then joined the Andhra Cricket Association academy in Kadapa, sharpening his skills under Madhusudhana Reddy and Srinivasa Rao.
In the 2017–18 Vijay Merchant Trophy, Nitish scored a massive 441 against Nagaland and finished the tournament with 1237 runs at 176.41 and 26 wickets. This earned him the BCCI’s Best Under-16 Cricketer Award—a first for any ACA player.
IPL Career
Nitish was picked up by Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹20 lakh during the 2023 IPL Auction. Though he played just two matches that season, he made a huge impact in IPL 2024:
Impressed by his all-round show, SRH retained him for ₹6 Crore in the 2025 auction.
International Career
T20I Debut
Nitish debuted in T20Is against Bangladesh on 6 October 2024. He scored 16 runs in his first match but rose to fame in the 2nd T20I at Delhi, smashing:
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74 runs off 35 balls (Strike Rate: 217)
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Bowling figures: 2/23 (including Mahmudullah)
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Award: Player of the Match
Test Debut & Historic Century
He was named in the Test squad for the Border–Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25 and made his Test debut on 22 November 2024 in Perth. Across his first four innings, he impressed with gritty knocks:
Despite not reaching a fifty initially, he remained consistent. In the 4th Test, he scored:
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Maiden Test Century batting at No. 8
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Built a 128-run partnership with Washington Sundar
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Became the first Indian No. 8 to score a century in Australia
Legacy in the Making
At just 21, Nitish Kumar Reddy has already shown a level of maturity, composure, and talent that’s rare. From dominating domestic cricket to delivering in the IPL and shining in overseas Tests, he is widely considered a future mainstay in India’s all-format squad.