Nitish Reddy Reflects on SRH Retention and Journey from Andhra to IPL Star

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Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) recently retained young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy for the 2025 IPL season, solidifying his status as a core part of the team. Retained for INR 6 crore, Reddy's value soared from his initial INR 20 lakh, marking a 2900% pay increase.

The 21-year-old fast-bowling all-rounder, known for his dedication to the Orange Army, expressed gratitude for the trust SRH placed in him early on during an interview with IANS, saying, "The price tag doesn't matter. I'm driven to perform and help my team win."

Reddy, who made a mark by scoring 303 runs at a strike rate of 143 and bagging the Emerging Player of the Season award in 2024, remains committed to SRH. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, he takes pride in representing his region as a Telugu-speaking player on a national platform.

"Playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad fills me with pride. People in Hyderabad say a Telugu player did well when the team reached the final," he shared, adding, "I wanted to play only for Sunrisers Hyderabad, who believed in me from the beginning."

The journey to IPL success wasn't without sacrifice. Reddy fondly recalled the support of his father, Mutyala, who left a government job to focus on his son's cricketing career. Mutyala would travel with Reddy across Andhra, providing practice and emotional support.

Reddy reflected on the pivotal moment in 2016 when his father retired early to help him pursue cricket, a decision that initially drew skepticism from others. "Everyone turned upon us, but I felt like taking cricket seriously after that," Reddy recalled, adding that this season's success made him feel he was finally repaying his father's sacrifices.

Reddy's standout performances in 2024, including a match-winning 64 off 37 balls against Punjab Kings, proved he belonged on the big stage. He emphasized that SRH's extensive training, especially in power-hitting and handling high-speed deliveries, transformed his game. His efforts paid off, earning him a T20I debut for India and a spot in the Test team for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Despite attention from other franchises, Reddy committed to SRH, stating, "I got offers from other franchises, but my heart was set on playing for Sunrisers." His love for the game shines through in his approach to cricket: "For me, you should just enjoy being in the game, as that's how everything started for me."