IPL 2025: Nitish Kumar Reddy extols Pat Cummins for leadership brilliance with SRH

Ahead of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 3 in Kolkata, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy spoke about skipper Pat Cummins' leadership. The Andhra cricketer described him as a calm and composed captain who manages pressure well, instilling confidence in the team and reinforcing their belief in making comebacks.

Reddy rose the reckoning after his breakout season in 2024 for SRH, where he also won the Emerging Player of the Season and played a pivotal role to make the team reach the finals. Reddy's brilliance across departments did not go unnoticed, and he even earned an India call-up soon after. The Visakhapatnam-born forwarded the credits of his rise to Sunrisers captain in shaping the player he has become today.

“He is an extremely calm and composed leader. The way he handles pressure is remarkable. When you see your captain managing things so smoothly, it instils confidence in the entire group. His composure helps us believe that we can always make a comeback. As a captain, he is brilliant, and I truly enjoy playing under his leadership,” he said via JioStar.

The youngster shared his approach to adapting to bowlers in a tournament like IPL, stating that the batter now analyses them just as they study his game. While his approach remains consistent, the middle-order batter adjusts to situations as needed. The Andhra Pradesh-based cricketer found facing Kagiso Rabada particularly challenging on Punjab’s home ground last season.

“I guess I have started understanding the bowlers better now. Just as they study my game, I analyse theirs too. My approach will remain the same, but I will adapt to situations as required. Last year, I didn’t play the first four matches, but when I did, I found Kagiso Rabada particularly challenging. When we played against Punjab, he was very expressive on that wicket, and facing him, there was a tough challenge for me,” Reddy said on facing the toughest bowler in the IPL.

Also read: IPL 2025: KKR vs SRH Match 15 - Who will be Impact Players for today's match?

Excited to face top bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah: Reddy

The 21-year-old expressed his eagerness to face Jasprit Bumrah, acknowledging him as one of the best bowlers in the world. The right-arm pacer sees it as an exciting challenge and would be delighted to score runs against the Indian pace spearhead. The medium bowler believes competing against top bowlers like Bumrah makes the game thrilling.

“I would be grateful for the challenge. He is one of the best bowlers in the world right now, and facing him would be an exciting contest. If I manage to score some runs against him, I would be very happy. Competing against top bowlers like Bumrah is what makes the game exciting,” he expressed.

I never set personal goals

The 21-year-old stated that he does not set personal goals, even when playing for India or in the IPL. The SRH bowler’s primary focus is on winning the title, considering it unfinished business. While SRH set records, the all-rounder emphasised that their ultimate aim is to secure a second IPL trophy.

“To be honest, I never set personal goals, even when playing for India or in the IPL last year. The only unfinished business is lifting the trophy. We created history with some records, but our ultimate goal is to win the IPL title and add a second star to SRH’s legacy,” the cricketer concluded.