Nitish Kumar Reddy: From Visakhapatnam Talent to India All-Rounder

The story of the Andhra cricketer who went from junior cricket records to IPL success, an India debut, and a memorable Test hundred at the MCG.

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Last Updated on September 16, 2026 by Fame Katha Editorial Team

Nitish Kumar Reddy has moved quickly.

A few years ago, he was a young Andhra player trying to build his place in senior cricket. Now, he has represented India in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, played a major role for Sunrisers Hyderabad, and scored a Test hundred in Australia.

His rise did not come overnight.

There were long training days. Family sacrifices mattered. Injuries slowed him at times. Still, his batting and seam bowling kept opening doors.

Here is his verified story.

Table of Contents

Quick Facts About Nitish Kumar Reddy

Fact	Details
Full Name	Kaki Nitish Kumar Reddy
Known As	Nitish Kumar Reddy
Date of Birth	26 May 2003
Age	23 years old
Birthplace	Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
Nationality	Indian
Profession	Professional cricketer
Playing Role	All-rounder
Batting Style	Right-handed
Bowling Style	Right-arm medium / medium-fast
Domestic Team	Andhra
IPL Team	Sunrisers Hyderabad
T20I Debut	6 October 2024 vs Bangladesh
Test Debut	22 November 2024 vs Australia
ODI Debut	19 October 2025 vs Australia
Father	Mutyalu Reddy
Mother	Manasa Reddy
Sister	Tejaswi
Major Junior Award	BCCI Under-16 Best Cricketer
IPL Honour	Emerging Player, 2024

Who Is Nitish Kumar Reddy?

Nitish Kumar Reddy is an Indian cricket all-rounder from Andhra Pradesh.

He bats right-handed. He bowls seam too.

That mix makes him useful across formats.

He first gained major public attention through Sunrisers Hyderabad during IPL 2024. Soon after, India selected him for international cricket.

His biggest early international moment came in Australia.

He scored 114 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the 2024 Boxing Day Test. That innings pushed his name far beyond the IPL audience.

He was only 21 then.

Early Life in Visakhapatnam

Nitish was born on 26 May 2003 in Visakhapatnam.

Cricket entered his life early.

His childhood coach Kumar Swamy has said he knew the youngster from around the age of six. Nitish spent plenty of time around the Hindustan Zinc cricket ground, watching matches and practising whenever he could.

This was not casual interest.

He stayed around cricket constantly.

His father, Mutyalu Reddy, worked for Hindustan Zinc. At one point, his job required a transfer to Udaipur.

The family faced a tough choice.

Mutyalu eventually left his job rather than move his son away from the cricket system that was helping his growth in Visakhapatnam.

Money became tighter.

The pressure was real.

Nitish later spoke about seeing his father struggle financially. That experience changed the way he looked at cricket.

Basically, the game became serious.

Training was no longer enough.

He had to make it count.

Father Mutyalu Reddy’s Support

His father’s role is a big part of his story.

Mutyalu took him to practice sessions, helped manage his cricket routine and backed him through his teenage years.

Some relatives questioned the decision.

Still, the family kept going.

Nitish later became much stricter about training, food and fitness after understanding how much his parents had put into his career.

That change mattered.

Coaches started seeing a sharper player.

His father was later seen celebrating emotionally in the MCG stands when Nitish reached his first Test hundred.

It was a huge family moment.

Mother and Sister

Nitish’s mother is Manasa Reddy.

She has spoken publicly about the difficult period the family faced while supporting her son’s cricket career.

His sister is Tejaswi.

She has also discussed his early cricket years in media interviews.

The family began to feel that professional cricket could become realistic after his massive performances at Under-16 level.

One innings stood out.

He scored 441.

That changed expectations fast.

Junior Cricket and the 441-Run Innings

Nitish produced a huge season during the 2017-18 Vijay Merchant Trophy.

He scored 1,237 runs.

Yes, that many.

His season included a remarkable 441 against Nagaland. BCCI records from his junior career also note another triple hundred during the competition.

Those runs brought national attention.

He later received the BCCI award for the Best Cricketer in the Under-16 age group.

That was his first major honour.

It also confirmed something important.

He could score very big.

From Batter to Seam-Bowling All-Rounder

Nitish was mainly known for batting during his early years.

Coaches then started working on his bowling.

The reason was simple.

A player who could bat in the middle order and bowl useful seam overs offered more value.

He worked on pace.

He worked on control.

His fitness improved too.

Coaches have said his speed reached the mid-130 km/h range, with occasional deliveries close to 140 km/h.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar also helped him with bowling details during his development.

That included wrist position, swing and bowling different deliveries in different situations.

Nitish had another strong reference point.

Hardik Pandya.

His development as a pace-bowling all-rounder gave him a clearer path into higher-level cricket.

Virat Kohli Influence

Virat Kohli was another major influence.

Nitish watched Kohli’s approach to fitness, preparation and batting while growing up.

Then came a special moment.

Kohli presented him with his Test cap before the Perth Test against Australia in November 2024.

For a young player who had looked up to him, that was a major personal milestone.

Domestic Cricket Career

Nitish entered Andhra’s senior cricket system while still young.

He made his first-class debut against Kerala on 27 January 2020 in the Ranji Trophy.

He scored 39 in his first innings.

His List A debut came against Vidarbha on 20 February 2021 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

He made 54 from 58 balls.

Then came T20 cricket.

He made his senior T20 debut for Andhra against Jammu and Kashmir on 4 November 2021 during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Those seasons helped him build experience.

But the IPL changed his profile.

Chennai Super Kings Net-Bowler Period

Before playing IPL cricket, Nitish spent time around Chennai Super Kings as a net bowler in 2021.

That gave him early exposure.

He could watch top players closely.

He could see IPL-level preparation.

Soon, another franchise came calling.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Signing

Sunrisers Hyderabad bought Nitish for ₹20 lakh before IPL 2023.

His first season was quiet.

He played two matches.

There was little batting opportunity.

Still, SRH kept him.

That decision paid off.

IPL 2024 Breakthrough

IPL 2024 changed his career.

Against Punjab Kings, Nitish made 64 from 37 balls when SRH needed a recovery.

He handled pressure well.

Then came Rajasthan Royals.

He smashed an unbeaten 76 from 42 balls, hitting eight sixes.

SRH won by one run.

That innings made people notice.

He finished IPL 2024 with 303 runs from 13 matches.

His batting average was 33.67.

His strike rate was 142.92.

He also took three wickets.

The IPL named him Emerging Player of the season.

Suddenly, he was much closer to India selection.

₹6 Crore SRH Retention

Sunrisers Hyderabad retained him before IPL 2025.

The retention value was ₹6 crore.

That was a huge jump.

Remember, SRH originally bought him for ₹20 lakh.

The franchise kept him alongside major names including Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen and Abhishek Sharma.

SRH kept faith in him again for IPL 2026.

IPL 2025

The 2025 season was quieter.

He scored 182 runs from 13 matches.

His highest score was 32.

The strike rate dropped to 118.95.

That happens.

Young players hit rough periods.

He still remained part of SRH’s plans.

Stronger IPL 2026 Season

Nitish came back with a much stronger IPL season in 2026.

He scored 302 runs.

His strike rate climbed above 170.

He also took eight wickets.

One strong all-round performance came against Kolkata Knight Riders.

He made 39.

Then he took 2/17.

He earned Player of the Match.

By the end of IPL 2026, his career stood at 42 matches, 787 runs and 13 wickets.

India T20I Debut

India selected Nitish for the T20I series against Bangladesh in October 2024.

His debut came on 6 October.

Three days later, things got serious.

In his second international match, he smashed 74 against Bangladesh.

He also took two wickets.

That performance showed both sides of his game.

Batting power.

Useful seam bowling.

Test Debut Against Australia

India selected him for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

He made his Test debut at Perth on 22 November 2024.

India were struggling in the first innings.

Nitish responded with 41 from 59 balls.

That knock helped India reach 150.

It was a promising start.

A bigger moment came soon.

MCG Test Century

The Melbourne Test changed how many fans saw him.

India were under pressure.

Nitish stayed calm.

He built an important partnership with Washington Sundar and reached his first Test hundred on 28 December 2024.

His final score was 114.

Huge stage.

Huge innings.

He became the first Indian to score a Test century in Australia while batting at No. 8.

He was also the third-youngest Indian to score a Test hundred in Australia, behind Sachin Tendulkar and Rishabh Pant.

His father watched from the stands.

The celebration became one of the most memorable images of his early career.

Injury Problems in 2025

His progress was interrupted by injuries.

In January 2025, he suffered a side strain during India’s home T20I series against England.

He was ruled out.

Rehabilitation followed.

Later, during India’s Test tour of England, he suffered a left knee injury.

He had played at Edgbaston and Lord’s before missing the remaining matches.

At Lord’s, he dismissed Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley.

He also contributed with the bat.

The injury stopped his run again.

ODI Debut

Nitish completed his all-format India journey in October 2025.

He made his ODI debut against Australia in Perth on 19 October.

He scored 19.

His first ODI fifty came later.

He made 53 against New Zealand in January 2026.

That remains an important step in his one-day career.

2026 Injury and Return

Another injury issue came in June 2026.

He reported trouble around his left thigh and quadriceps during India’s series against Afghanistan.

He later missed T20I cricket while recovering.

Then he returned.

India selected him again for the September 2026 Afghanistan T20I series, subject to fitness clearance.

He passed the required checks.

His comeback brought an immediate bowling result.

On 15 September 2026, he took 3/24 against Afghanistan.

Those were his best T20I bowling figures at that point.

India won the match.

Nitish Kumar Reddy International Stats

Statistics below are updated through 15 September 2026.

Format	Matches	Runs	Batting Average	Highest Score	100s	50s	Wickets	Best Bowling
Tests	10	396	26.40	114	1	0	8	2/32
ODIs	6	100	33.33	53	0	1	2	2/31
T20Is	6	90	45.00	74	0	1	6	3/24

These numbers can change quickly because he is an active India player.

IPL Career Stats

Season	Matches	Runs	Highest Score	Strike Rate	Wickets
2023	2	0	—	—	—
2024	13	303	76*	142.92	3
2025	13	182	32	118.95	2
2026	14	302	56	171.59	8
Career	42	787	76*	145.47	13

Batting Style

Nitish is a right-handed middle-order batter.

He can attack quickly.

IPL cricket has shown that.

But his Melbourne hundred showed another side.

He can slow down.

He can defend.

He can bat with the lower order.

That matters in Test cricket.

His ability to change tempo gives selectors more options.

Bowling Style

He bowls right-arm seam.

He is usually used as a supporting pace option rather than the main fast bowler.

His bowling has improved steadily.

Swing is part of his game.

Changes of pace help too.

He has worked closely on his wrist position, control and match situations.

His 3/24 against Afghanistan in September 2026 became his best T20I bowling return.

Major Records and Achievements

Scored 1,237 runs during the 2017-18 Vijay Merchant Trophy.
Hit 441 against Nagaland at Under-16 level.
Won the BCCI Under-16 Best Cricketer award.
Won IPL Emerging Player honours in 2024.
Scored 74 and took two wickets in his second T20I.
Made his Test debut against Australia in Perth.
Scored 114 at the MCG in December 2024.
Became the first Indian No. 8 batter to score a Test hundred in Australia.
Became the third-youngest Indian Test centurion in Australia.
Scored 302 runs and took eight wickets in IPL 2026.
Recorded T20I career-best figures of 3/24 in September 2026.

What Is Nitish Kumar Reddy’s Net Worth?

No reliable public source gives an audited personal net-worth figure.

So guessing would be misleading.

What can be confirmed is his IPL contract history.

Sunrisers Hyderabad first bought him for ₹20 lakh.

He was later retained for ₹6 crore.

IPL salary and personal net worth are not the same thing.

Is Nitish Kumar Reddy Married?

There is no strong public source confirming a wife, fiancée or publicly acknowledged partner.

Many profile websites publish relationship claims without clear sourcing.

Those claims should not be treated as verified facts.

Final Thoughts

Nitish Kumar Reddy’s career has moved fast.

But the base was built early.

Junior records put him on the map. Andhra cricket gave him senior experience. Sunrisers Hyderabad gave him his IPL break. India then gave him the biggest stage.

The MCG hundred changed his profile.

His injuries have interrupted his rhythm, though his September 2026 return showed that his bowling is still growing.

He is still only 23.

There is plenty left to write.