Debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy admitted to initial nerves about Perth’s reputation as a bowler-friendly pitch but overcame them by recalling advice from head coach Gautam Gambhir. In the first innings at the Optus Stadium, Nitish delivered a composed knock of 41 off 59 balls, offering a rare bright spot in India’s otherwise disappointing total of 150.
“I heard a lot about the Perth wicket. There was a bit of nervousness. It was in the back of my mind that everyone was talking about the bounce on Perth wicket. But then I remembered the chat I had with Gautam sir after our last practice session,”
Nitish recounted his experience at the post-match press conference, revealing a conversation with head coach Gautam Gambhir after the final practice session that helped him navigate the tough conditions.
“He was mentioning that ‘when you get a bouncer, take it on your shoulder. It was like taking a bullet for your country’. That just boosted me. When he said that I felt that I needed to take the bullet for the country. That’s the best thing I have heard from Gautam sir.”
The 21-year-old shared that he and teammate Harshit Rana learned about their Test selection just a day before. To stay calm, they decided to unwind with a relaxing dinner and a bike ride.
“We got to know (him and pacer Harshit Rana) about our debut just one day ago, and we were excited. We were having dinner and we were keeping calm as last week. We did not want to take too much pressure. We had a cycle ride as well last evening, so that was good.”
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Debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy praised Virat Kohli
Nitish expressed his delight and honor at receiving his Test cap from his idol, Virat Kohli. He commented:
“It was an incredible feeling to get the cap from Kohli. Playing for India has always been my dream, and this was a truly special moment. Virat bhai has been my idol since I started playing cricket, so receiving the cap from him was a truly special moment,” Nitish said.
Reflecting on his Test debut, he admitted it wasn’t a perfect innings but felt it was a solid beginning. He credited his recent stint with India A in Melbourne for easing his transition to Australian conditions.
“It was a decent start, not a dream innings, but a good one. Honestly, the India A series helped me a lot as it was my first experience in Australia.”
“Playing on this wicket is quite different from playing in India, especially with the bounce. I felt there was more assistance for the bowlers here compared to the MCG, but otherwise, the bounce and conditions were quite similar to Melbourne,” Nitish said.
He showcased his attacking intent by targeting Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon, hitting multiple boundaries, including a reverse sweep.
“I felt the wicket favored fast bowlers, so I knew I had to score runs. When Nathan Lyon bowled a couple of deliveries without much drift, I decided to take him on to get some quick runs,” he explained.
Nitish played a vital role in a 48-run partnership with Rishabh Pant for the seventh wicket, helping India recover from a dire position of 73/6.
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