India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy revealed {that a} light-hearted dressing room banter with the talismanic Virat Kohli resulted in him getting the sneakers gifted by the previous skipper, which he wore when he hit his first Check century towards Australia on the Melbourne Cricket Floor (MCG). “Again within the locker room, he (Kohli) as soon as requested Sarfaraz (Khan), ‘Sarfu, tera measurement kya hai?’ (Sarfaraz, what’s your shoe measurement?), and he mentioned, ‘9.’ Then he turned to me, and I believed, ‘Oh my god, I’ve to guess this accurately,’ as a result of even when they weren’t my measurement, I actually wished his sneakers. I mentioned, ‘10,’ and he gave them to me. Within the subsequent match, I wore these sneakers and scored 100!” mentioned Reddy in a podcast on PUMA’s Youtube channel on Thursday.
After getting his maiden Check hundred in 171 balls at Melbourne, Nitish revealed his eyes had been trying to find his father Mutyalu, who was current amongst the 80,000-odd followers on the venue alongside his mom, sister and uncle. “Everybody within the dressing room got here up and congratulated me, however I used to be simply on the lookout for one man—hoping he’d come and discuss to me.
“When Virat bhai (Kohli) lastly walked up and instructed me I had performed an exquisite sport, that second itself was particular for me. I used to be additionally scanning the stands for my father however could not discover him. Later, I noticed on the display screen that he was crying.”
Nitish additionally shared a lightweight second from the Check tour of Australia, the place how his Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise teammate Travis Head tried to divert his consideration via some playful sledging. “Travis got here as much as me and mentioned, ‘Nitish, the place are you going to celebration tonight?’—figuring out absolutely nicely that I would not.
“Then he went on, ‘Australia is such an awesome place. Melbourne is a tremendous metropolis, it’s important to exit and chill.’ He was simply attempting to distract me. I simply instructed him, ‘Okay, Travis, at some point we’ll each go and celebration!’ Throughout one other match, he was fielding at quick leg and warned me, ‘Nitish, for those who hit me, I am going to hit you whenever you bowl!” he mentioned.
Nitish will subsequent end up for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2025 and he reveals how powerful it was to say no to different franchises pursuing him, with the intention to keep on with a group the place he feels at dwelling. “To be sincere, I received some provides. However SRH is one group which I can actually join with. Prefer it’s a house group for me. It feels such as you’re representing your property group and need to make an exquisite impression in that group.
“I simply need to carry out nicely and produce that cup again to SRH, they usually have proven absolute religion in me. I felt that it is my time when I’ve to indicate religion and regive belief in me to them. Some conversations had been happening to get me within the public sale from different franchises. My reply was that I all the time wished to play for SRH, nevertheless it was not a straightforward no to say to everybody.
“Once I play for the group, at any time when somebody comes to speak to me in Telugu, they take me as type of their very own brother. Like, somebody identified to them is enjoying for his or her dwelling group. Clearly, Orange Military, that factor is big they usually assist rather well. The quantity of people that come and assist us within the stadium, it is large. When these orange flags got here within the Orange stadium, we actually love that vitality,” he concluded.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
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