Some people doubted me like a youngster who played IPL, just want to make them feel wrong: Nitish Kumar Reddy

Nitish Kumar Reddy has been one of India's most consistent performers in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Batting at number seven, he regularly scored over 40, despite having very little support from the other end. In the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Reddy finally had a decent batter on the other end in Washington Sundar and the youngster took advantage of that and registered his maiden Test hundred. 

Meanwhile, his call-up to the squad for the ongoing Australia series was heavily criticised. The selectors and the team management were called out for picking him after a good season in the IPL as Reddy hasn’t played enough First Class cricket. After the century at MCG, the 21-year-old noted, that it motivated him to get those runs as he eager to prove the critics wrong and perform for the Indian team.

Also Read - Nitish Reddy's sister opens up on relationship with her brother

“Some people doubted me like a youngster who played IPL can’t perform in such a big series. I know a lot of people did talk like that. I just want to make them feel wrong about what they have said about me. I want people to know that I am here to give my 100 per cent for the Indian team. I guess for you guys, it is like one or two months. For me, it’s like, I can see my past two to three years. How hard I’ve been working on my batting and bowling,” Reddy said in the press conference.

Virat Kohli is my idol: Reddy

Reddy also shared a special moment with his idol, Virat Kohli, who gave him a standing ovation for his century at MCG. He recalled sharing the crease with Kohli when the latter hit a century in Perth and now, revealed what the former India captain said after his incredible ton.

“I have been watching Virat from my childhood. He is my idol, and now finally, I have played with him," Reddy said. “When he scored a hundred in Perth, I was at the non-striker’s end. I felt so happy. Now, I scored a century, and he appreciated me. He came to me and said, ‘You really played well, you got the team back in the game.’ That’s the best moment for me,” Reddy said.