Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batting all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy recently highlighted his 2024 IPL season experience, including a thrilling encounter with Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli. Nitish, who had an excellent season with 303 runs and three wickets in 13 games, explained how Kohli's recognition increased his confidence and pushed him to perform better.

In an interview with the Hindustan Times, Nitish Reddy spoke about his admiration for Virat Kohli and how meeting him during the IPL 2024 was a significant confidence booster. Nitish shared:

"Growing up, I was not a perfect all-rounder; I was a pure batsman and looked up to Virat Bhai. 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," said Nitish.

He continued by recalling a specific moment after the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB):

"In that match, I didn't get the opportunity to bat as we scored 270-odd runs. 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.

Nitish Kumar Reddy also expressed his admiration for playing under the leadership of Australian captain Pat Cummins during the IPL 2024 season.

"I was so honoured to play with him because he led a World Cup-winning team. So, as a player, I always looked to him, like how kind of a captain he is. We rarely see fast bowlers captaining a side and tasting success. So, I always wanted to look up to him as a player and see how he manages his team as well. He is so calm and composed, even on the field, he never loses his anger and maintains the coolness in him. He thinks a lot about the tactics and plays with his mind that's what I like about him."