"It is like taking a bullet for your country" - Nitish Reddy reveals chat that inspired him ahead of debut in 1st BGT 2024-25 Test
Team India debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy said that a chat with coach Gautam Gambhir inspired him ahead of the Perth Test against Australia, which began on Friday, November 22. The youngster shared about head coach Gambhir telling him that taking blows on the body in Perth, where the ball bounces a lot, is 'like taking a bullet for your country'.
Reddy top-scored for India with 41 off 59 on Day 1 of the Perth Test. Batting first after winning the toss, the visitors were bowled out for 150 in 49.4 overs. Things could have been a lot worse for India but for Reddy and Rishabh Pant (37).
At a press conference following the end of the opening day's play, Reddy said that the pre-match discussion he had with Gambhir over the Perth surface inspired him. The 21-year-old commented:
“Our coach said you are playing for the country and in places like Perth there will be bounce, take it on your shoulder, on your body, it is like taking a bullet for your country. That really boosted me."
Reddy walked into bat with India in big trouble at 73-6. The right-hander featured in a crucial 48-run stand for the seventh wicket with Pant. On his partnership with the keeper-batter, the debutant said:
“I just went with my plans and my partner Rishabh is an attacking batter. He was guiding me all the time. There was not much drift for (Nathan) Lyon and I decided to get some quick runs and help the team move ahead."
Reddy struck six fours and a six in his impressive innings before being dismissed by Pat Cummins, top-edging a short ball from the Aussie skipper.
"The wicket is helping a lot" - Nitish Reddy on India's bowling plans
After Reddy and Pant lifted India to 150, stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah stunned Australia with four wickets as the hosts were reduced to 67-7 in 27 overs by stumps on Day 1 in Perth.
Asked about the team talk before India went to bowl, the debutant said that it was about keeping things simple since there was a lot of help for the fast bowlers from the surface.
“Obviously the wicket is helping a lot and so we don’t need to do much to get the wickets. So we kept the discipline and eventually wickets came our way. At the break we were discussing about discipline in bowling. So that’s what I guess Bumrah, Siraj and Harshit (Rana) have done," Reddy added.
At stumps on Day 1 in Perth, Alex Carey was batting on 19 and Mitchell Starc on six. The hosts trail India by 83 runs, with three first-innings wickets in hand.