Virat Kohli acknowledged me: Nitish Reddy makes huge revelation

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) all-rounder Nitish Reddy stated that he was pleasantly surprised when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Virat Kohli recognized him. Nitish Reddy highlighted how his interaction with Virat Kohli during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 boosted his confidence.

Nitish Reddy had a stellar 2024 IPL season with SunRisers Hyderabad. Nitish amassed 303 runs in 13 innings at an average of 33.67 and a strike rate of 142.92. The right-arm pacer also contributed with the ball, taking three wickets at an expensive economy rate of 11.62 in this year's tournament.

The Hyderabad-based team advanced to the final match of the tournament. However, they were defeated by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the summit clash of the IPL 2024. The 22-year-old all-rounder received his maiden call-up from the national team for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe.

However, Nitish Reddy was ruled out of the Zimbabwe tour due to an undisclosed injury. Reddy scored 13 runs in the IPL final before being dismissed by Harshit Rana. All-rounder Shivam Dube replaced Nitish in the Indian squad for the T20I series against Zimbabwe, which is set to begin on Saturday, July 6.

Haven't Talked A Lot With Virat Bhai - Nitish Reddy

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Nitish Reddy expressed how Virat Kohli has been an inspiration to him. Reddy recounted his confidence-boosting interaction with Kohli during IPL 2024, where the former RCB skipper acknowledged him by name after a match.

"I haven't talked a lot with Virat Bhai. First year in IPL when I played against him, I didn't bat and only got the chance to bowl. Meanwhile, this year, when I was doing well, we had the RCB match. I always wanted Virat Bhai to acknowledge me and say that I am a good player as well. In that match, I didn't get the opportunity to bat as we scored 270-odd runs," Nitish Kumar said.

"After the match, when the two teams shook hands – when I was shaking his hands, he was like - 'Hi Nitish, How are you?' I was literally not expecting that he would remember my name. He probably would have seen me playing earlier in the tournament. It really boosted me a lot that Virat bhai is watching my games, and I have to be a little conscious about it and make him watch me a bit more," he added.

Virat Kohli has inspired many young players with his exceptional batting skills and dedication. The 35-year-old retired from T20Is after leading India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup held in the West Indies and the USA. The Rohit Sharma-led team secured a seven-run victory over South Africa in a thrilling final match.

The Delhi-born cricketer struggled to score runs before the summit clash against South Africa. The right-handed batter managed to score just 75 runs in the group stage, Super 8s, and semi-final match. However, he scored a match-winning 76 runs off 59 balls to help the team reach a respectable score in the final.

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