New Delhi, Sep 15 (IANS) Nitish Kumar Reddy marked his return to bowling form with a three-wicket haul against Afghanistan in the second T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday, helping India restrict the visitors to 159/8 before the hosts chased down the target by seven wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
Named Player of the Match, Reddy said his performance was built on trusting his ability after his recent injury setback.
Reddy, who finished with 3-24, said the work put in during his rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) had left him feeling confident about his fitness. “It’s good. Right now I’m feeling great. We have done some great work at CoE, and the body’s recovering well,” Reddy said after receiving the award.
His return to bowling also provided India with a significant boost as the team continues to look for greater balance through its seam-bowling all-rounders. Reddy said the additional pace he has developed is part of a larger ambition to establish himself as a complete all-rounder.
“I feel great. I always wanted to become the greatest all-rounder, and for that I wanted that extra pace, which I’m getting. You will have the pros and cons, and (staying) fit,” he added.
The 23-year-old’s contribution came after Varun Chakaravarthy was ruled out of the remainder of the series with a side strain, leaving India without one of their key bowling options. Reddy responded by making a decisive impact in the middle overs, where his three breakthroughs helped prevent Afghanistan from converting a steady start into a bigger total.
His performance also represented a strong response after the opening T20I, where he had limited impact with the ball. For Reddy, however, the emphasis was less on what had happened previously and more on maintaining belief in his own game.
“I would say it’s all about trusting your ability and making) that comeback, and I was just believing in myself. It’s a funny game; anything can change in a moment,” he stated.
India’s victory, powered by Sanju Samson’s 57 off 22 balls and Abhishek Sharma’s 39 off 19, secured the series with one match still to play. Reddy’s return to effectiveness with the ball gives India another encouraging option as they continue to assess the balance of their T20I side.
— IANS
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