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Here is how Nitish Kumar Reddy's father sacrificed for his son

News Desk

Dec 28

Nitish Kumar Reddy, India's newest Test centurion, owes his success to his father's sacrifices. 

 

Nitish scored a century against Australia in the fourth Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy on Saturday. Mutyala Reddy, Nitish's father, was at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and saw his son score his first international and Test century. 

 

Nitish reached the milestone by hitting Scott Boland for a four. His father was moved to tears while Nitish kneeled on the field, placed his helmet on the bat, and looked up to thank God. Captain Rohit Sharma and his teammates applauded as Nitish walked off the field at 105, not out.

 

Nitish said, "I wasn't serious about cricket in my early days. My father's decision to leave his job and the financial struggles they faced motivated me."


 
He dedicated his first jersey to his father, who was overjoyed. Nitish first showcased his talent in Andhra Pradesh's age-group tournaments, catching the eye of former India wicketkeeper MSK Prasad. He made headlines with a 441-run knock against Nagaland in the 2016-17 Vijay Merchant Trophy.

 

Despite doubts about Nitish's abilities, his father supported his dream by providing better training facilities. Nitish made his first-class debut three years later and was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for 20 lakh Indian rupees in 2023. 

 

Nitish debuted internationally in a T20I against Bangladesh in October 2024 and later signed a six crore INR contract with SRH. His consistent performances in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy have silenced critics, with 284 runs in six innings at an average of 71, making him India's top scorer in the series.

 

Nitish's century not only secured his place in Indian cricket but also helped India out of a tough spot. His family, who travelled from India to Melbourne, expressed their pride. His sister talked about their tense but confident hope, while his father called it a special day, especially against a strong team like Australia.

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