Cricket prodigy is a jargon that will get thrown round moderately too typically lately. But regardless of its ever-growing utilization, not each identify obsessive about the game carries the tag.
The tag is simply bestowed upon a selected few who’re born with innate aptitude. Unsolicited in nature, it brings uncalled stress of its sort and sometimes preys upon those who shine in a special gentle than the remaining of their age group.
It may be argued that the tag acts as a separating funnel and brings a distinguished identification with itself however not and not using a hefty worth.
At an age when the load of a package bag is sufficient to put on the tender little shoulders down, the unascertained burden of the tag threatens to crack them open.
Expected to reign supreme of their age group in each outing, cricket prodigies aren’t all the time lauded in the identical vein as a few of their lesser-gifted contemporaries regardless of decreasing even the seemingly unattainable data to mud, they unsparingly get a rap on the knuckles on these uncommon events once they fail to dominate their friends, the way in which they normally do.
The tag takes their imaginative and prescient past the web periods of their compeers and aspires them to discover a footing in one other apply session operating in tandem, just a few yards away from theirs, fuelled by burning kinetic power, the place the sport ceaselessly loses its cocoon of enjoyment and finds itself coated with a peel of unrelenting race to the zenith.
Unlike their companions who require a push, nobody wants to fast-track prodigies. They take to the massive boys’ circuit like fish to water and make a splash arresting sufficient to bewitch even probably the most uninvolved onlookers.
However, away from the consolation of their little amphitheatres, life within the demanding quick lane takes a few of these prodigies to coliseums the place the irresolute ones stumble and solely a handful of these with resilient temperaments are left standing with a promise to translate their expertise into world-beating performances and Andhra’s Nitish Reddy belongs to the latter class.
The world noticed the primary glimpse of Nitish when he turned up on the BCCI annual awards 2017/18 ceremony to obtain the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy, conferred upon him for being the star of the U16 circuit.
Nitish was elated at his achievement and his elation went by means of the roof when he realised that his feat had put him on the identical stage because the then India captain and arguably one of the best batter of the time, Virat Kohli.
A eager admirer of Virat, Nitish wished to have an interplay with him however similar to how life makes us work for the whole lot, the Andhra-born’s wishful interplay was placed on maintain.
Six years quick ahead, the boy from Vizag crossed paths together with his cricketing idol once more and whereas this assembly bore similarities to the earlier one, it was additionally totally different in so some ways on the similar time.
By having leapfrogged innumerable abilities on the way in which, Nitish was not solely sharing the identical stage as Virat, he was competing on the similar stage too.
While {the teenager} Nitish stood in awe of his idol at Naman (BCCI’s annual award ceremony) six years in the past, his 19-year-old model was tasked to dismiss the identical idol as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) hosted Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on May 18.
“I could feel the nerves but after bowling a couple of deliveries I became poised and motivated myself to pull it off,” Nitish fondly recollects.
Though he ran in each ball to get the prized scalp of Virat, the latter was too good on the day as he smashed a match-winning century to take RCB residence.
The night ended on a tragic word for Sunrisers and their followers however not for Nitish as he managed to get a couple of minutes together with his idol – a chance that eluded him all these years.
“I could not speak an excessive amount of as a result of he had scored 100 and the broadcasters have been ready for him. So, I simply went to him and instructed him that I admired his angle and had been an enormous RCB fan for the final eight years. He wished me luck for the remainder of the video games and I took his autograph earlier than he went away.”
Unflinchingly pertinacious
Athletes are recognized for his or her attribute mindset to push boundaries searching for their higher selves. While this perpetual need helps within the evolution of their recreation, it generally leads to deadly occurrences on the sector that find yourself jeopardizing careers and a goal-oriented Nitish has additionally had his share of tribulation.
He suffered an anterior talofibular ligament tear in 2023 whereas fielding in a home recreation – an damage that noticed him shriek in agony and put him on the sidelines for weeks.
“It was a really extreme damage and examined my character to the core.
Maintaining the health and the energy stage and having the assumption that a comeback was potential, was very powerful,” Nitish recounts.
“My fitness center coach and my physio (Sreenivas) stood by me and labored tirelessly to assist me obtain the health stage I had.
“I indulged in weight and endurance coaching and likewise sought common physiotherapy to stage a comeback.
“The nature of the damage was such that I could not run throughout my rehab and subsequently after I took the sector following my rehab I felt diffident.
“I couldn’t bowl with 100% intensity and that often wore me down. But I was determined to turn it around and it was my determination that helped me regain the fitness I had earlier”.
Battling a mistaken identification
An IPL contract with SRH, alternatives on the India U19 and ‘A’ ranges and the possibility to choose the brains of greats like Brian Lara and Dale Steyn, Nitish is galloping like a horse in a derby.
For somebody aloof to the demanding nature of the game, Nitish’s success can come throughout as “too much too soon” however that’s removed from the case.
Once felicitated by the BCCI for his batting prowess on the U16 stage, Nitish did not maintain his identification restricted to a batter moderately he expanded his prowess and located a brand new dimension to his potential.
Having jumped by means of hoops, Nitish developed the flexibility to swing the ball each methods – a weapon that has introduced him nearly all of the success he has had these days. While the expansion in stature as a bowler has led to an increase in his shares, it has pushed him into an intriguing battle.
“I must say, I’m a batting all-rounder,” Nitish instructed India TV.
“Most probably, people don’t know about my batting prowess. My team members at Andhra know how I bat, but the others, only know me as a bowler. I’m actually a perfect batting all-rounder, and I am willing to prove it. It was probably the reason why I didn’t get a chance to bat in the Emerging Asia Cup.”
Though battling a mistaken identification, Nitish has not overlooked his final dream – one that each cricketer in India takes to his mattress and desires to get up to.
“Representing the country in all three formats is my ultimate dream and I aspire to be the best allrounder in the world like Ben Stokes and Hardik Pandya.”
