The All-rounder Nitish Reddy who made his test debut in the first test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy on November 22 and made an impactful 41 runs knock has opened on India head coach Gambhir’s advice.
His assistance emphasised resilience and technique helped Nitish Reddy to handle bouncers at Perth.
Speaking in the post-match conference on day 01, Nitish revealed that Gambhir’s words instilled confidence and helped him stay composed under pressure. He also expressed gratitude and also highlighted the importance of staying mentally strong on a challenging Pitch.
“Even I heard a lot about Perth and I still remember when we were having after the last practice session, I had a chat with Gautam Gambhir sir.”
#TeamIndia all out for 150 runs in the first innings of the first Test.
Nitish Kumar Reddy top scores with 41 off 59 deliveries.
Australia innings underway.
Live – https://t.co/gTqS3UPruo… #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/FuA9ATSQIE
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 22, 2024
“He mentioned when you get any bouncers or something like those sharp spells, you just take them on to your shoulders and just feel like you are taking a bullet for your country,”Nitish said.
“So that really helped me a lot, that just boosted me up. So I was feeling that somehow you’ll have that on the back of the mind. He said that thing and I felt like you need to take bullets for your country,” he added.
Nitish’s debut was a memorable one following his impactful T20I debutful T20I debut during the home series against Bangladesh only a month before.
He was India’s top scorer in the first innings where the side scored 150 runs. However, India’s bowlers turned the game around putting a stellar performance, with Jasprit Bumrah put a sensational spell of 4/17, while Mohammed Siraj picked 2/17 and fellow debutant Harshit Rana made 1/33 supported admirably, leaving Australia to score 67/7 by the end of day 01.
His test debut scored his maturity and determination when senior player gave only less contributions which earned him a praise for his calm approach under pressure.
After starting low, India ended the day in a dominant position, setting the stage for an exciting contest in the series opener at Optus Stadium.
