Nitish Kumar Reddy once looked destined for a rapid rise after notching his first Test century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2024. Coming in during his opening Test assignment, the all-rounder displayed plenty of potential, sparking optimism that India could finally find a reliable seam-bowling option who also contributes with the bat in the modern game. He also appeared to be a natural fit for limited-overs cricket, where balance and role flexibility matter.
Yet the early momentum never truly translated into steady output. Injuries arrived at inconvenient moments, repeatedly interrupting his rhythm and preventing him from building a consistent rhythm in international cricket. He was included for the England Test series, but a problem ahead of the Manchester Test kept him out of the final two matches.
Even after recovering, the coaching group struggled to fully unlock his best form. In Test cricket, the batting position remained a point of debate, while his bowling use raised more questions than answers. Still, he stayed in the plans, but the message was unmistakable: staff wanted a clear improvement in his bowling. With that instruction in place, the challenge for the young player became sharper. After spending time in the domestic circuit with Andhra Pradesh, he turned what started as idle scrolling into a more purposeful step—he came across Steffan Jones, the founder of PaceLab, and feedback from teammates in Andhra and Hyderabad was enough to push him toward visiting the training setup.
After a week of focused work, the 22-year-old returned with a more defined understanding of his skill set, and the change has begun to show in the way he has been bowling in the IPL. That self-belief has also carried into his batting, where he has not shied away from doing the demanding work for his franchise.
In a detailed conversation, the all-rounder spoke about the importance of not overdoing things, the role of mental resilience, how he views his own game, and the dream of playing for India in the 2027 ODI World Cup. Here are the key excerpts:
Q. It’s been a good start to the season and your bowling has stood out. What happened behind the scenes as you prepared for the IPL season?
Reddy: After the Ranji Trophy matches, I got a solid seven-day break. Even though I kept up my endurance and strength work, I wasn’t able to reach the bowling pace I wanted. That’s when I thought about adjusting my technique. I also always felt that Steffan Jones—who runs PaceLab—would be the right person to help me with my bowling mechanics. When I met him, he pointed out a couple of things in my delivery and explained them clearly. What he said made a lot of sense, and we’ve been working to implement it. I haven’t completely changed everything; I’d say I’m only halfway through the process. But I can already see meaningful progress, and if I get more time, I’m confident I’ll improve further.
Q. What changes have you made to the bowling technique?
Reddy: I’ve been working on increasing my run-up speed. Earlier, my approach was a bit slow, and Steffan told me that I’m a hip-dominant bowler. He said bowlers of that style need to be quicker at the point of release, so we focused on making my run-up faster and sharper in the crease. We also adjusted my loading action. Previously, my upper body would come across a little side-on, and my right arm would fold. We tried to keep my arm straighter for longer. It’s not fully transformed yet—it’s still a work in progress, and we’re continuing. Since I only had about seven days, we made the changes within that window, and we’ll keep refining as we go. For now, I’m happy with how far we’ve come. I made two main adjustments, and there are a couple more improvements I still want to fully implement.
Q. Did you reach out to Steffan on the advice of a cricketer?
Reddy: It was my own decision. I used to watch him on YouTube and Instagram because he explains bowling in detail there. I never got the chance to speak to him while I was busy playing, but when I got free, I reached out during the break. I also asked a few players who have worked with him—people from Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad. I wanted to understand how he works, and they spoke highly of him. That convinced me to give it a try, and it turned out to be the right call.
Q. Last IPL season with SRH wasn’t ideal. What went wrong?
Reddy: Coming into that season after an injury, I wasn’t fully fit, so I played a bit more cautiously. The fear of getting injured made me extra careful, and my preparation wasn’t ideal because I went straight into matches. That disrupted my rhythm, and after a couple of poor games, I lost momentum. This time, I had a proper preparation window—similar to my first year—and by following the same routine, I found myself in a much better place to perform. That’s basically the difference.
Q. How did you deal with such failures and issues especially after the bumper Border-Gavaskar Trophy where you announced your arrival with a hundred at the MCG – in front of your family?
Reddy: If you ask any athlete in the world, they’ll tell you it’s a difficult phase. You see the highs in your career and then you face the lows. At that stage, you blame yourself because you don’t have the experience to handle it the right way. It’s like you experience the extremes again—first the peak, then the fall. That was the first time I went through it. I really wanted to work hard and push myself during that period, but I ended up getting injured. That’s why I’m now focusing on having the right amount of preparation time. As an all-rounder, I also need to take care of my body. If you ask me, failure is as important as success. I’m grateful I tasted failure because I learned a lot from that season, and those lessons helped me bounce back.
Q. How much did you realise the importance of mental strength during that period?
Reddy: Mental strength is something I’ve always valued. I’ve watched so much cricket—from TV and from being on the ground. Great players like MS Dhoni have succeeded because of mental strength and the way they manage their mind. He plays with a lot of intelligence, and sometimes you have to be clever enough to read the situation accurately. That’s what Mahi bhai does so well, and it has inspired me. Failures will keep coming in your life. If you stand tall during those moments with a strong mindset, you can do anything.
Q. How has it been working with Daniel Vettori, interacting with Pat Cummins and now playing under Ishan Kishan?
Reddy: It’s been really good. They all bring a lot of experience. As a youngster with raw talent, you naturally look up to experience because it helps you in the game. Ishan, Cummins, and Vettori are all very experienced. Even Henrich Klaasen brings a lot. These people have helped me a great deal.
Q. You have been doing the tough job for SRH this season: rebuilding in the middle overs, finishing the innings and then bowling with both the new ball and in the middle overs too. Relishing the challenge?
Reddy: The job of an all-rounder is tough. You have to be prepared whenever the team needs you. The IPL is helping me because it allows me to play different roles. My position isn’t fixed—I can be asked to bat at No. 4, 5, 6, or somewhere else. I’m ready to do whatever the management requires. On bowling, I wanted the challenge of using the new ball, bowling in the middle overs, and also bowling in the slog overs. Once you’ve experienced those phases, you feel prepared for when the situation demands it.
Q. T20 is an unforgiving format – if you could detail your preparation specifically for bowling. Adding variations, staying one step ahead… especially in a franchise which has changed the way T20 batting is being approached now.
Reddy: I always feel you need certain variations, and the most important part is execution. I’ve practiced slower deliveries, slow bouncers, yorkers, and wide yorkers. But when it comes to execution, that’s where the difference is—if you execute these plans properly, that’s when you can take the key wickets when the team needs them most.
Q. Have you found the sweet spot with regards to the preparation? Understanding when to stop when it comes to fitness and preparations because all-rounder’s body takes a heavy toll.
Reddy: As I said after last season, I worked extremely hard and I ended up overdoing things that I shouldn’t do as an all-rounder. Now I’ve realised that. At the moment, I need to keep my body safe and still get enough practice. I’m not overdoing it anymore. I’m being more mindful about my body, and I’m also making sure I have enough preparation so I’m ready for the matches. One thing I really look at closely is recovery. I’ve found some approaches that help me recover—certain products that support recovery—and I also pay attention to nutrition. All of these things together are helping me a lot.
Q. What next for NKR? There’s a ODI World Cup coming. Have you locked your target?
Reddy: If you ask any player, being part of the World Cup squad is a dream. Playing for India is already a special moment, but the World Cup itself is another level. Everyone wants to be part of the team that wins the tournament—that’s the dream. I’ve been working hard on my game for that, and hopefully I’ll get a chance to prove myself.
