 "Nitish Reddy opens up on Pat Cummins’ captaincy and his loyalty to SRH: 'I'll tell you one incident...'")
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy recently featured in a podcast, where he candidly spoke about his loyalty to SRH, the offers he received from other IPL franchises, his admiration for Pat Cummins’ captaincy, and his own leadership ambitions.
The IPL 2025 season is all set to kick off on 22 March with a match between defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). IPL 2024 finalists SRH will play their opening game against Rajasthan Royals on 23 March.
Reddy on playing for SRH and receiving offers from other franchises
During the podcast Built for the Big Stage by Puma, Reddy revealed that multiple IPL franchises had shown interest in signing him ahead of the upcoming season. However, his emotional connection with SRH made the decision to stay an easy one.
“To be honest, I got some offers. But SRH is one team which I can really connect to. It feels like a home team for me. I want to perform well and bring that cup back to SRH. They have shown absolute faith in me, and now it’s my time to show faith in them,” Reddy said.
Reddy emphasised that playing for SRH was always his priority. “There were some conversations going on to get me in the auction from other franchises, but it was not an easy ‘no’ to say to everyone. However, my answer was always to play for SRH.”
“Whenever someone talks to me in Telugu, they take me as their own brother, someone who is playing for their home team. The Orange Army is huge, and the number of people who come to support us in the stadium is massive. We really love that energy, especially when the orange flags are flying in the stadium,” he added.
‘He keeps it simple’: Reddy on Cummins’ captaincy approach
The conversation also touched on SRH skipper Pat Cummins, who led the side to the final in the previous edition. Reddy shared an anecdote about Cummins’ keen interest in his game, which left a lasting impression on him.
“He’s so cool. I’ll tell you one incident, last year, he arrived just two days before a match. I was doing well in the camp, and I didn’t even know if he was aware of how I play. But when I met him, he said, ‘Nitish, you’re playing really good.’ I was surprised, where did he see me play? Then he mentioned he watched my match on YouTube. That shows how dedicated he is, even to franchise cricket.”
Impact Shorts
More ShortsReddy also highlighted Cummins’ calm demeanor and straightforward approach to leadership. “He doesn’t give a lot of inputs. He just keeps it simple, this is the plan, execute it. Even if a batter hits you despite executing the plan, he tells you to stick with it. Most captains tend to change strategies when things don’t work, but Cummins trusts his players and their plans.”
When asked about his leadership ambitions, Reddy admitted that he would love to captain a team if given the opportunity.
“Who doesn’t want to captain? Whether it’s for the state, the franchise, or the Indian team, everyone dreams of lifting a trophy. If I get the opportunity, I would definitely try to fulfill it,” he stated.
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