Last Updated:
Nitish Kumar Reddy hasn’t shown any signs of nerves on India’s ongoing tour of Australia.
Nitish Reddy could very well turn out to be the find of the tour. (AP Photo)
Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra is impressed by the batting performance of allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy in the recently concluded second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Adelaide Oval. Reddy, though a rookie, negotiated the formidable Aussie bowling attack with aplomb.
When most of the Indian batters failed to show up in the pink-ball contest, Reddy was the top scorer in both innings with 42 runs in each. The 21-year-old batted at No. 7 and struck as many as nine fours and four sixes across the match.
“At times, when you are young, you don’t have any excess baggage. This boy has been very, very impressive. There is a very good stat – no Indian batter has hit more sixes than him against fast bowling in Tests in Australia to date, and he has played only two Tests,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
The cricketer-turned-pundit feels Reddy has emerged as India’s “breakout star” in this Australia tour. The young allrounder made his debut in the series opener in Perth.
He scored a total of 79 runs across the two innings and took one wicket. He bowled six overs in the Adelaide Test and picked one wicket.
“He has exceeded our expectations. I am totally impressed. Nitish Kumar Reddy as a batter looks ready. Nitish Kumar Reddy as a bowler is still a work in progress. As a player, I feel he has an excellent temperament,” Chopra said.
“He is showing that he is not getting flustered. He is trying to express himself. The key operative word in Indian cricket is intent. His intent is very clear and is playing clean cricket,” the 47-year-old explained.
Chopra feels Reddy is doing well as a number seven batter and there is no need to promote him up in the order. “I would say where he is batting and the way he is batting, it’s just about right. The position at which he is batting, the pressure is not like that, as to what would happen if he makes a mistake,” he said.
After his commendable batting show in the first two matches, Reddy is expected to retain his place in India’s playing eleven for the third Test which will begin on December 14 at The Gabba, Brisbane.
