IPL 2024 Emerging Player of the Year Nitish Kumar Reddy has said that he is preparing to perform in the “Hardik Pandya-role” for Team India in the near future. After amassing 303 runs in the IPL at a strike-rate of 142, Reddy was set to make his debut in India’s post-T20 World Cup tour to Zimbabwe, but had to pull out at the last minute due to an injury. However, the Sunrisers Hyderabad star is certain that he will make his India debut soon.

“There’s a chance I’ll get to play at no. 7 or no. 6, most likely a Hardik Pandya role. I’m flexible to bat wherever I’m asked to, but as of now I’m preparing for the role that Hardik Pandya is playing,” said Reddy.

Reddy has showcased his ability as both a batsman, and lately as a handy pace bowler, and recently became the most expensive player in the Andhra Premier League.

The 21-year-old showed maturity beyond his years, and was realistic about the chances he would get in the India setup.

“If you ask me to open, I’ll open as well. In the near future, I won’t be getting the chance at the top order because there are more experienced players,” said Reddy. “I have to adapt to whatever role I’ll get, and I’ve been prepared to adapt this way by domestic cricket,” he added.

Reddy was selected for the five-T20I Zimbabwe tour alongside a bunch of new faces, in a side that will be led by Shubman Gill.

“I’m happy that there is a progression for youngsters who are performing well. After Rohit bhai (Rohit Sharma), Virat bhai (Virat Kohli) and Jaddu bhai (Ravindra Jadeja)’s retirements, there will be opportunities for youngsters. We need to grab them,” said Reddy.

At just 21, Reddy already has the world at his feet, and expressed delight to become a brand ambassador for Puma, the same brand as his idol, Virat Kohli.

“My inspiration is Virat Kohli, so I’m really proud to be a part of Puma. Puma really supported me through the IPL, and the greatest thing is that they’re providing opportunities to youngsters like myself and Riyan Parag,” Reddy said.

Nitish Kumar Reddy is expected to be retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of next year’s mega auction, after a successful IPL 2024.

All-rounder Shivam Dube has been picked as replacement for injured Nitish Reddy in the Indian T20 squad for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe, the BCCI announced on Wednesday. India will play five T20 Internationals in Zimbabwe from July 6. “The men’s selection committee named Shivam Dube as replacement for the injured Nitish Reddy in India’s squad for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe,” the BCCI said in a statement. The BCCI said its medical team is monitoring the Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder’s progress.

During the series, India and Zimbabwe will play all their matches in Harare.

Youngsters Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma and Nitish were on Monday rewarded for their exploits in the last IPL with maiden India call-ups for the white-ball tour of Zimbabwe under the captaincy of Shubman Gill.

Senior players competing in the ongoing T20 World Cup in the Americas, including captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested ahead of a gruelling season.

Reddy was awarded the Emerging Player title for the 2024 IPL season.

The 21-year-old Nitish scored 303 runs at an average of 33.67 and a strike rate of 142.92, playing a crucial role in propping up the SRH middle order.

The right-handed batter’s best outing with the willow came against Rajasthan Royals, where he scored a 42-ball 76, studded with eight sixes and three fours. That proved to be a match-winning knock for SRH.

Nitish also picked up three wickets with his medium pace bowling, including 2/17 against Delhi Capitals, in his second IPL campaign.

India’s updated squad: Shubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube.

Abhishek Sharma bossed Punjab Kings bowlers with yet another explosive half-century as Sunrisers Hyderabad cruised to a four-wicket win in the IPL in Hyderabad on Sunday. Opting to bat on a flat track, Punjab Kings posted an imposing 214/5 riding on Prabhsimran Singh’s 45-ball 71 and skipper Jitesh Sharma’s final over heroics. But SRH looked in complete control of the tall chase after losing Travis Head off the first ball and chased down the target with five balls to spare.

The win took them second place in the table with 17 points from 14 matches as they would need to wait for the result for the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.

Rajasthan, who have 16 points, can topple SRH for the prized No 2 spot with a win over KKR in Guwahati.

Finishing inside top-two gives the teams an extra chance of making the final.

Abhishek went about his business with utmost nonchalance for a 21-ball fifty, his third half-century of the season.

He smoked six sixes and five boundaries in his knock of 66 from 28 balls to completely tilt the equation in their favour.

Henrich Klaasen (42) Rahul Tripathi (33) and Nitish Reddy (37) made handy contribution in their complete domination act.

Shashank Singh dismissed Abhishek against the run of play with the batter getting beaten by a slower ball and ended up gifting a catch to Shivam Singh at covers.

But with SRH in top gear at 129/2 at the midway stage, the chase was just a formality and Klaasen continued their strong momentum, slamming three fours and two sixes.

Looking to seal the chase, the South African wicketkeeper-batter was bowled by Harpreet Brar in the final over.

But by then, SRH just needed seven runs from 10 balls and Sanvir Singh sealed the issue with a four in the first ball of the final over.

Earlier Arshdeep gave SRH an early blow, cleaning up the dangerous Travis Head for a golden duck.

After losing a wicket of the first ball, SRH showed little sign of panic with Rahul Tripathi seizing the momentum in a 18-ball 33.

Playing only his second match of the season, Tripathi took Rishi Dhawan to clearners with two fours and one six in a row that set the tone for their tall chase.

Abhishek then came on his own, smashing Arshdeep for two fours and one six as the duo continued their assault dealing only in boundaries to cruise to 50 in four overs.

Harshal Patel leaked 22 runs in his first over but returned with a wicket, dismissing Tripathi with a slower ball.

But with 72/2 in five overs, there was no looking back for SRH when Klaasen came to the party to record their third highest powerplay score of 84/2.

The new look opening pair of Prabhsimran and Vidarbha’s Atharva Taide put on 97 runs from 55 balls as PBKS did well to see through the power play without losing a wicket.

Prabhsimran smashed seven fours and four sixes for his 45-ball 71, while Taide will regret missing out on a fifty after being dismissed for a well-made 46 off just 27 balls.

Taide hit five fours and two sixes and after his departure, Prabhsimran in the company of Rilee Rossouw as the duo put together 54 off 32 balls to keep the momentum going in the middle overs.

It looked a one-way traffic at 151/1 in 14 overs when leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth (1/37) dismissed the set batter Prabhsimran off a quicker delivery that took a faint edge and Klaasen did well to take a one-handed catch behind the stumps.

Cummins (1/36) ended his spell taking the wicket Rossouw one run shy of a half-century in the 18th over that left two new batters at the crease — Jitesh Sharma and Ashutosh Sharma.

T Natarajan (2/33) then did well to remove the inform Ashutosh in the penultimate over.

PBKS went on to lose four wickets for 44 runs in five overs before the stand-in skipper Jitesh’s last over assault took them to a fighting total.

Jitesh (32*) finished with two sixes against Nitish Kumar Reddy in a 20-run final over.

Hyderabad (Telangana) :

Following his side’s one-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy said that when he realised that Bhuvneshwar Kumar was defending 13 runs in the final over, he got the confidence that the veteran pacer could pull off a match-winning performance. Vintage Bhuvneshwar was at works at powerplay and death as the veteran ended with three wickets and maintained his nerves to defend 13 runs in the final over, trapping a dangerous Rovman Powell lbw on the final ball to leave RR one-run short of a victory at Hyderabad on Friday.

Following the game, Nitish said during the post-match press conference, “I was looking at who was going to bowl. When I saw that Bhuvneshwar was going to bowl, I got that confidence that he was going to pull it off. During his prime, he had done it so many times. I did not think we were going to win, I thought either we’d lose or tie. But that last-ball wicket, I felt so happy.”

Nitish said that his role is to rebuild the innings following quick wickets and take the innings to 13th and 14th over without any further loss of wickets so that Heinrich Klaasen and Abdul Samad can come later and smash from ball one.

“From the last two matches, we are losing quick wickets and I have to go. My role is to carry on till the 13th and 14th over so that Klaasen gets a license to bang. There is no point that Klaasen and Samad are coming early, but not getting to score freely,” said Nitish.

Nitish smashed RR spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for two fours and two sixes in the 13th over and said that he backed himself to attack the veteran spinner.

The all-rounder also said that the victory is important, following their losses to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

“Beating RR will boost our confidence, they are at the top of the points table,” he concluded.

Coming to the match, SRH opted to bat first after winning the toss. After a slow start, opener Travis Head (58 in 44 balls, with six fours and three sixes) and all-rounder Nitish Reddy injected some momentum into the innings with a 96-run third-wicket partnership. Towards the back end of the innings, Nitish, who made an unbeaten 76* in 42 balls, with three fours and eight sixes, got fine support from Heinrich Klaasen, who overcame a brief slump in form to make an unbeaten 42 in 19 balls, with three fours and three sixes to guide SRH to 201/3 in their 20 overs.

Avesh Khan (2/39) and Sandeep Sharma (1/31) were among the wickets for RR.

In the run-chase, RR lost two quick wickets for just one run. Youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal (67 in 40 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and Riyan Parag (77 in 49 balls, with eight fours and four sixes) brought RR into the game with a 133-run third-wicket partnership. Towards the end, Rovman Powell (27 in 15 balls, with three fours and a six) almost won it for his side, but was trapped lbw on the last ball with two runs needed. SRH secured a last-ball one-run win.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/41) was the pick of the bowlers for SRH and got the ‘Player of the Match’ award. Skipper Pat Cummins and T Natrajan also secured two wickets.

RR is at the top with eight wins and two losses, giving them 16 points. SRH is in the fourth spot, with six wins and four losses, giving them 12 points.