Nitish Kumar Reddy reveals Virat Kohli's secret role in his maiden century during MCG Test

India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy recently shared a fascinating story about his memorable Test century against Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The 21-year-old revealed that Virat Kohli gifted him a pair of shoes before the match, and he went on to score his hundred while wearing them.

Nitish Kumar made his Test debut in the series opener against Australia in Perth. The all-rounder scored 41 and an unbeaten 38, helping India secure a commanding 295-run victory to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Reddy smashed his maiden Test century during the fourth Test match in Melbourne.

Virat Kohli Asked Sarfaraz, 'Sarfu, What’s Your Shoe Size?' - Nitish Kumar Reddy

Nitish Kumar Reddy scored a gutsy century in the first innings when India was in trouble during the Boxing Day Test. He played a 114-run knock, and the emotional moment brought his father to tears as he watched from the stands.

In a podcast with Arjun Pandit for Puma, Reddy shared an interesting story about Virat Kohli’s role. He revealed that Kohli gifted him a pair of shoes. Reddy said that Kohli asked Sarfaraz Khan about his shoe size in the locker room. He added that he guessed size 10, as he really wanted the shoes.

"If you saw my 100, it weren't my shoes. Back in the locker room, he (Kohli) once asked Sarfaraz, 'Sarfu, what’s your shoe size?', and he said, '9'. Then he turned to me, and I thought, 'Oh my god, I have to guess this correctly' because even if they weren’t my size, I really wanted his shoes. I said, '10', and he gave them to me. In the next match, I wore those shoes and scored a hundred," Nitish Kumar said.

Nitish Kumar Reddy Impressed with His All-Round Performance in BGT 2024-25

The Men in Blue suffered a 3-1 series defeat in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but Nitish Kumar Reddy was a positive takeaway. The all-rounder scored 298 runs in nine innings, including his maiden Test century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Andhra cricketer also took five wickets with the ball.

India will face England in a five-match Test series in June, where conditions are expected to favor fast bowlers. India secured their last Test series win in England in 2007, and they have struggled in away fixtures. The India national cricket team managed a 2-2 draw in the series played across 2021 and 2022.

Nitish Kumar Reddy Retained by SRH, Joins Camp for IPL 2025

Nitish Kumar Reddy was among the five players retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) ahead of the mega auction. The franchise also retained Travis Head, Pat Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen, and Abhishek Sharma.

Reddy scored 303 runs in the IPL 2024 at a strike rate of 142.92. He also contributed with the ball, picking up three wickets. SRH finished as runners-up to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL 2024.

The 21-year-old all-rounder has joined the SRH camp for IPL 2025 after recovering from a side strain sustained in the first T20I against England earlier this year. He underwent rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru before rejoining the squad.

Also read: Shardul Thakur replaces pace sensation at LSG for IPL 2025 as franchise left in panic mode