Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 20: India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy shared an endearing story of how a casual dressing room exchange with Virat Kohli led to him receiving a special pair of shoes from the cricketing icon—shoes he later wore while scoring his maiden Test century against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Recalling the incident on a podcast for PUMA’s YouTube channel, Reddy revealed how he jumped at the opportunity when Kohli casually asked about his shoe size.

“In the locker room, he (Kohli) asked Sarfaraz (Khan), ‘Sarfu, tera size kya hai?’ (Sarfaraz, what’s your shoe size?), and Sarfaraz replied, ‘Nine.’ Then he turned to me, and I instantly thought, ‘I have to guess this correctly because I really want his shoes, even if they don’t fit me.’ So I said, ‘10,’ and he handed them over to me. I wore those shoes in the next match and scored a hundred!” said Reddy.

After reaching his first-ever Test century in 171 balls at the MCG, Reddy was overwhelmed with emotions, especially knowing that his father, Mutyalu, was watching from the stands, along with his mother, sister, and uncle.

“Everyone in the dressing room congratulated me, but I was searching for just one person. I kept looking for my father, hoping to catch his reaction. When Virat bhai (Kohli) walked up to me and told me I had played a wonderful game, that moment was incredibly special. Later, I saw my father on the big screen—he was crying,” Reddy recounted.

Sledging Banter with Travis Head

Reddy also shared a humorous moment from the Australia tour, recalling how his Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) teammate Travis Head tried to distract him with some playful sledging.

“Travis came up to me and said, ‘Nitish, where are you going to party tonight?’—knowing fully well that I wouldn’t. Then he kept going, ‘Melbourne is an amazing city. You have to go out and chill.’ He was just trying to get inside my head,” Reddy laughed.

In another match, Head, fielding at short leg, tried to rattle him with a light-hearted threat: “‘Nitish, if you hit me, I’ll hit you when you bowl!’”

Loyalty to Sunrisers Hyderabad

Looking ahead to the IPL 2025 season, Reddy reaffirmed his commitment to SRH, revealing that he had turned down offers from other franchises because of his deep connection with the team.

“To be honest, I got offers from other teams. But SRH feels like home to me. Representing them gives me a special sense of pride. I want to give my best and help bring the trophy back to SRH because they have shown immense faith in me,” he said.

Despite interest from multiple franchises, he remained firm in his decision. “Some teams were in talks to get me in the auction, but I always wanted to play for SRH. Saying ‘no’ wasn’t easy, but my heart was set on staying.”

Reddy also expressed his love for the passionate SRH fanbase, fondly called the Orange Army.

“When I play for SRH, people talk to me in Telugu, and it feels like they see me as their own brother. The support we get in the stadium is massive. When those orange flags wave in the stands, it gives us an unbelievable energy,” he concluded.