Indian 23-year-old all-rounder, Nitish Kumar Reddy was in the news yet again, following India's seven-wicket triumph over Afghanistan in the opening one-day international at Dharamsala. While the on-ground performance of the player was impressive, it was a touching off-field incident that equally attracted the attention of everyone. In the middle of his post-match press conference, Reddy answered his mother's phone call with "Amma, I'll call you in five minutes." Not too long ago, Reddy dismissed the Afghan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz with a quick inswinging yorker and also removed Mohammad Nabi. However, Reddy, during his post-match chat, highlighted that attitude plays a crucial role in performing successfully at the topmost level.

Reddy lived up to his statement when he performed well in the opening game of the series. Despite facing difficult conditions due to the shortened match due to bad weather, Reddy bowled impressively in the 25-over match by taking 2 wickets for just 31 runs. Reddy managed to help India regain the momentum after the hundred by Gurbaz, before chasing down the target of 195 runs effortlessly.

Nitish Kumar Reddy Reflects On Match-Winning Performance Against Afghanistan

“I Just Have To Show Up There And Show Some Intent In The Field”

Speaking about his role, Reddy said, "Just simple. As I always keep telling myself, as an allrounder, I have to keep doing both the jobs for my team, then the team is going to be in a great position, I just have to show up, captain gives me the ball or team needs some runs, I just have to show up there and show some intent in the field. That's how I see it as an all-rounder."

 

His focus is on contributing in crucial moments rather than worrying about conditions or situations. According to Reddy, showing intent and responding when the captain needs him are key parts of his job. He added that handling pressure is what separates players at the highest level, especially in a country with immense competition for places.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s Wicket Turned The Match

Reddy's standout moment in the match arrived when he took down Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The Afghanistan opener was on fire, smashing 102 runs off just 51 balls and looking like he might run away with the game. But Reddy put an end to that with a brilliant inswinging yorker that zipped past Gurbaz and shattered the stumps. He also claimed the wicket of Mohammad Nabi later on. Those crucial wickets allowed India to tighten their hold on the game, ultimately bowling Afghanistan out for 194 in just 24.5 overs.

Steffan Jones’ Influence Visible In Reddy’s Growth

Reddy credited part of his development to the work he has done with fast-bowling and high-performance coach Steffan Jones.The all-rounder has added pace to his bowling and said further improvements are still to come.

He also highlighted the challenges all-rounders face in modern T20 cricket as he said, “For allrounders, it is a is bit difficult because we always expect to get four overs. Even at first, one or two overs, if you get hit, at least there will be two overs [left]; you can come back and you can give your effort. It used to be like that, but now if you bowl one or two overs bad, maybe that's the end of the tournament also for some allrounders or bowlers.”

For Reddy, being well-prepared and having a strong mental game are key. His message is straightforward: while skill opens doors, it’s the right mindset that truly leads to success.