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  5. Nitish Kumar Reddy reflects on his century in Boxing Day Test, opens on sacrifice from father in his journey

Nitish Kumar Reddy reflects on his century in Boxing Day Test, opens on sacrifice from father in his journey

Nitish Kumar Reddy made 114 in the first innings to bail India out of major trouble in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Nitish reflected on his special hundred that came under immense pressure, saying that he wanted to prove his critics wrong.

Edited By: Varun Malik @varunm0212 New Delhi Published : Dec 29, 2024 20:35 IST, Updated : Dec 29, 2024 20:35 IST
Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Image Source : GETTY Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Nitish Kumar Reddy broke into the headlines after slamming his maiden Test century in the Boxing Day Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series. With the Indian team in major trouble, Nitish slammed a hundred to give them some hope in the fourth Test in Melbourne.

He scored 114 in a well-measured knock under immense pressure. His knock helped India reach 369, from being at 221/7 at one point. Reddy has opened up on his performance in the Boxing Day Test and on the support he has got from his father Mutyalu.

"Some people doubted me, like a youngster who played IPL, can't perform in such a big series. I know a lot of people did talk like that," Reddy said at the end of the fourth day of the MCG Test.

"I just want to make them feel wrong about what they have said about me and that's what I am doing, I want people to know that I am here to give my 100 per cent for the Indian team," he added.

He has been on the rise in Indian cricket in the last few months. He had made his T20I debut against Bangladesh in October. But his journey has been far long. "I guess for you guys, it is like one or two months. For me, it's like, I can see my my past two to three years. How hard I've been working on my batting and bowling," he said.

He also opened up on how he worked in the off-season in IPL on his batting. "After the first IPL season, I realised what I have to improve my batting and I came up with a plan. When I got the off-season, I worked a lot on my batting and that's what is giving results now. It's not about the one month and two months, I have done the work from last two-three years to be here," he said.

Reddy also opened up on his father's support and sacrifice in his journey. "To be honest, my father had 25 years of service in central government and when I was a nobody, and hadn’t played a state-level game, the first person who believed in me was my father," he was a touch emotional.

"He believed in me and he resigned from his job for me. He would take me to the ground, gym, always he wanted to be with me. He made a lot of sacrifices. If I have to tell about him, time won't be sufficient but I am so grateful to have a father like him," he said.

He also talked about the praise he received from Virat Kohli after his hundred. Kohli is the man Reddy looked up to as a child. "I have been watching Virat from my childhood. He is my idol and now finally I have played with him. When he scored a hundred in Perth, I was at the non-striker’s end. I felt so happy.

"Now, I scored a century, he appreciated me. He came to me and said that 'you really played well, you got the team back in the game'. I always dreamt about that moment and finally when he talked with me, that's the best moment for me," Reddy said.

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