After an underwhelming outing in the series opener, Nitish said the confidence gained from his second-game performance was exactly what he needed as he continues his comeback. Nitish Kumar Reddy’s return from injury received a timely boost in India’s second T20I against Afghanistan, with the all-rounder producing a match-winning bowling performance with a three-wicket haul.
Nitish Kumar Reddy said the confidence gained from his second-game performance was exactly what he needed as he continues his comeback.
Nitish was named Player of the Match after returning figures of 3/24, playing a key role as India restricted Afghanistan to 159/8 before chasing down the target with seven wickets in hand. The performance came after the 22-year-old had spoken about the work done at the BCCI Centre of Excellence to get his body back to full fitness. Nitish revealed that the long periods at the COE can be mentally taxing despite the available facilities and training, with conversations with close friends and family helping him cope with the fatigue.
“Feels great, you know, every player needs the confidence when they’re coming from injury, and to be fair, the first game was not that great for me and in the second game I’m feeling much more happy enough because any player would be needing this confidence and I hope I continue this confidence forward,” Nitish said in a BCCI video on Wednesday. The all-rounder also highlighted the confidence he has received from the Indian team management since breaking into the side, saying the backing has allowed him to focus on his game without worrying about his place. “It’s always been a privilege to be a part of the Indian team and the management, obviously, they have given me enough opportunities and they have shown a lot of trust. I think that is what a player would actually need and that I’m getting from the management. I’m pretty happy with that,” he added. However, the road back from injury has also brought a mental challenge.
