New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is looking forward to having a contest with his India teammate Jasprit Bumrah in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.
Reddy and Bumrah played together in the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia earlier this year. The 21-year-old, who now boasts international experience, is thinking of scoring runs against the premier pacer, who is currently undergoing rehab at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (formerly the National Cricket Academy) in Bengaluru for a lower back injury.
Bumrah missed India’s title-winning Champions Trophy campaign in Dubai but is expected to make his return at some point in the IPL. The clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians is scheduled to be played at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 17.
“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,” Reddy said on JioHotstar’s show Gen Bold.
“This generation of Indian cricket has been shaped by legends like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and others. They have taken Indian cricket to new heights, and we aspire to carry forward their legacy. Players like Jasprit, Rohit and Virat are truly golden assets to Indian cricket.” he added.
On one skill he would borrow from MS Dhoni, Kohli, and Rohit, Reddy said, “From Dhoni, I would love to have his captaincy skills. From Kohli, I admire his aggression and passion for the game. And from Rohit, I would love to master his pull shot – it’s simply outstanding.”
When asked one bowler he would love to battle against, the right-handed batter replied, “I would love to battle against Abhishek Sharma. We have intense contests in the nets, always challenging each other. I want to continue that competitive spirit in matches as well.”
Sunrisers Hyderabad will take on defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Thursday.
–IANS
ab/bc
