Young Debutant Shared his Dream Come True Moment With Virat Kohli, Says “I was so pumped up…”

Nitish Kumar Reddy, Team India’s rising all-rounder, recently shared his heartwarming journey of realizing a childhood dream, playing alongside his idol, Virat Kohli. Speaking in a video shared by the BCCI, Reddy revealed that he had admired Kohli since childhood, closely following his matches and calculating his own age to ensure he could debut before Kohli retired.

Reflecting on his journey, Reddy recalled a childhood memory of taking a selfie with Kohli at a BCCI awards function and remarked:

This was a safety photo, at the time he (Virat Kohli) was so famous. I felt that if I don’t get a photo chance, let’s take a picture now. It reminds me of my childhood memories.

Reddy, who came into the spotlight during the last IPL season, made his Test debut in the first match against Australia in Perth. Receiving his Test cap from Kohli was a surreal moment for the Andhra cricketer. He contributed with 79 runs and a wicket in the match.

The debutant also expressed excitement about witnessing Kohli’s 81st international century. He said:

Now playing with him and I was seeing him close to ten runs, then five runs and I was thinking, he’s close to getting his hundred. Even, I didn’t realize that I was close to getting my fifty – it would be my first fifty in Tests if I scored 12 runs. I was so pumped up when he got his 81st hundred and it was a great moment to see.

Initially nervous about joining the senior squad, Reddy credited KL Rahul’s mentorship for easing his transition.

At just 21, Nitish Kumar Reddy has already experienced a career milestone, playing alongside his hero and earning praise for his promising debut.