IND vs AUS: Nitish Kumar Reddy announces his debut in Border-Gavaskar Trophy

India National Cricket Team all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy opened up about his Test call-up for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He said that he was expecting the call, but he felt that he would be playing for the India A team and not the main team.

Young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy was named in the Indian team for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The right-hander has been fast-tracked into the India National Cricket Team, and it won't be a surprise if he ends up making the debut in the Tests in the Australia series.

Nitish Kumar Reddy came into the scenes after the IPL 2024. He proved his prowess with the bat and ball for Sunrisers Hyderabad. The all-rounder was the top performer for the team and helped them reach the final of the tournament, scoring 303 runs at a strike rate of 142.92 and also picking three wickets.

Nitish Kumar Reddy then made his debut for the India National Cricket Team in the T20I series against the Bangladesh National Cricket Team. He turned out to be a key factor for the team, contributing with both bat as well as the ball in the three games that he played in the series.

His incredible performances have seen him cutting into the Indian Test team. With the combination that the team has played overseas, three pacers, and one all-rounder, he will likely be playing some games. Reddy is already in Australia with the India A team and will be playing two tour games ahead of the main series.

I was expecting my name to be announced, but not before India 'A' matches - Nitish Kumar Reddy

Nitish Kumar Reddy admitted that there were talks about his inclusion in the Test team and claimed that team management saw promise in him and he would be giving his best for the team. Speaking to the Telegraph, he explained:

"The talks were going on. I was expecting my name to be announced, but not before India 'A' matches. I thought it might depend on my performance in these 'A' matches. But it seems I have been able to show some promise to them, so I guess they hope I'll do well."

I was a bit nervous initially, but Surya bhai gave me a free hand - Nitish Kumar Reddy

Nitish Kumar Reddy also talked about his T20I debut, saying that he was nervous but got a free hand from Suryakumar Yadav. While detailing his experience, playing for the national team, he explained:

"I was a bit nervous initially, but Surya bhai gave me a free hand regarding my approach on the field. Only by scoring runs and taking wickets will you get that confidence, and I've experienced that already. When representing India, you need to keep your nerves neutral. I guess I did that in the last series and want to keep continuing that."

You need to be tough, that's what I believe - Nitish Kumar Reddy

While talking about his preparations for the Australia Tests, he said that he would try to stick to his role and play according to the situation. He believes that one needs to be tough and having that sort of mindset will be key for him in the series. He elaborated:

"I will stick to my role. As for the others (all-rounders), I just like the way they bowl and bat. It doesn't mean I will play like them. I'm just going to respond to the situation and if the situation demands me to play a big shot, I will play it. If the situation demands me to play till stumps, 'll be ready for that too. I can do both,"

"You need to be tough, that's what I believe. You have to be very tough in the center, not just in red ball, but all forms of cricket. Only those with a tough mindset can survive and deal with whatever situations they face," he concluded.