Not Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma!! Nitish Reddy picks his inspiration, 1 England player named

Emerging allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has picked Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes as the ones who inspire him the most when it comes to being an allrounder. Reddy was recently selected for his maiden international stint in the series against Zimbabwe.

But the youngster got injured at the wrong time and was ruled out of the series. He is now working his way to full fitness for India's new domestic season that starts on September 5 with the Duleep Trophy.

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Nitish Kumar Reddy names Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes as his inspirations

While speaking to Star Sports, Nitish Kumar Reddy revealed how India allrounder Hardik Pandya praised his energy on the field despite being busy with a World Cup coming. The 21-year-old then picked Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes as his inspirations.

"Hardik bhai sent me a message saying the intent and energy I was giving on the field was good and to keep respecting the game. Hardik said we would talk soon. I was shocked to see his message after the IPL season, especially since he was busy with World Cup duties," Reddy said.

"Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes are my inspirations for being an all-rounder. I replied, thanking him for his message," Nitish added.

Both Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes have been serving their nations for a long time. Both the cricketers possess world-class abilities and are equally impressive with both bat and ball. Despite fitness issues throughout their careers, Pandya and Stokes have played key roles in winning big titles for their respective countries.

Recently, Hardik Pandya played a big role in India's title win in the T20 World Cup 2024. Hardik bowled the last over of the final and defended 16 runs under pressure. He also bowled a match-winning spell in the group stage of the tournament and the final. Pandya was brilliant with the bat in the Super 8 stage and the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Ben Stokes is known to be a player of big matches. Stokes played vital roles in England's victories in the 2019 ODI World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup. In the 2019 World Cup final against New Zealand, Stokes was adjudged Player of the Match.

Nitish Kumar Reddy in IPL 2024

Nitish Kumar Reddy emerged into the scene in the Under-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy when he scored a triple ton against Tamil Nadu, 400 against Nagaland, and 190 against a strong Karnataka bowling attack to finish the 2017-18 edition with 1237 runs.

The 21-year-old allrounder was signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad before the IPL 2023 season but played just two games in his first season. However, he got a chance to cement his spot in IPL 2024 and he took it with both hands.

Reddy scored 303 runs in 11 innings of the season at a strike rate of 143. He also picked up 3 wickets with his right-arm seam bowling. He was adjudged the Emerging Player of the Season award for his magnificent performance.