SRH batsman Nitish Kumar Reddy in action against Punjab during the IPL T20 cricket match at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Punjab, on April 09, 2024.
| Photo Credit: R.V. MOORTHY
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Abdul Samad on Tuesday said that in the ongoing IPL season, Nitish Kumar Reddy’s batting isn’t as conventional as it was last season.
Nitish starred with 64 (37b, 4×4, 5×6), his maiden IPL fifty, in Sunrisers’ two-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) here.
“Last year, Nitish was not batting like this. Last year, he used to play conventional shots. This time, he has become completely different.
“I think he has practised very well. And he had a very good impact in our practice matches as well. So, everyone was very impressed with him. That’s why we are backing him,” Samad said at the post-match press conference.
“I think he has been promoted (from No. 6 to No. 4) today (on Tuesday) to carry the confidence of the last game (vs. Chennai Super Kings). And everyone had confidence in him that he will deliver today.”
The two sixes that Kings’ Ashutosh Sharma hit in the last over, with 29 needed to win, were palmed over the boundary by the fielders. Samad said that it wouldn’t have been a close match, had those catches been taken.
Punjab Kings batsman Ashutosh Sharma during the IPL T20 cricket match against SRH at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Punjab,
| Photo Credit:
R.V. MOORTHY
“We thought the match was a bit close because we missed two catches. Otherwise, we would have won the match by 15 runs or so.”
He acknowledged the openers’ (Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma’s) contribution in consistently getting Sunrisers off to a flying start. “When you get a start of 70-80 runs in the PowerPlay, then it becomes easy for you. So, that is helping us a lot in winning the match.”