"Nitish becoming one of my favourites....": Shane Watson hails young uncapped Indian all-rounder

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 3 : Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson hailed young Indian uncapped all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, saying that he is one of his favourite players to watch and lauded his dominance over the experienced spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin against Rajasthan Royals (RR).
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) youngster Nitish's climb-up during this IPL continued as he fired a quickfire 76* in 42 balls, with three fours and eight sixes. SRH secured a one-run win over RR at Hyderabad despite fifties from Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal on Thursday.
Speaking to the JioCinema after the game, Watson said about Nitish, "Yeah, he is becoming one of my favourite cricketers to watch for sure. For a young man to be able to exert his dominance on a spin bowling attack, especially of Yuzi Chahal and Ashwin and some of the shots, in fact all of the shots that he played tonight were of a rare quality. For a young man to have that skill development at such a young age and to execute under pressure against the best bowlers in the world."
Watson called the SRH youngster a "special talent" that has once again found its way to stardom because of the IPL, a league known to bring "young Indian hyper-skilled cricketers" to limelight.
"He is a very special talent. So, like it happens with the IPL, every single year, there is always a couple of young Indian hyper-skilled cricketers that come through and burst onto the scene and that is the reason why Indian cricket has got an abundance of talent that is always gonna be found through and Nitish Reddy is one of those," Watson added.
In seven matches and six innings this season, Nitish has scored 219 runs at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 154.22, with two half-centuries. His best score is 76*. He has also taken three wickets. This pace-bowling batting all-rounder has been impressive this season for SRH, his second season with the Orange Army. He only got to play two games last season and got a few overs to bowl.
He joined an elite company on Thursday, with the most number of sixes in an Indian Premier League (IPL) innings by a batter of his franchise.
His eight sixes during the 76-run knock is the joint-highest number of sixes in an IPL innings by an SRH batter. He has tied with Australian legend David Warner (eight sixes in knock of 126* against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2017), Manish Pandey (eight sixes in knock of 83 against RR in IPL 2020), Heinrich Klaasen (eight sixes in a knock of 63 against KKR in IPL 2024) and Travis Head (eight sixes in a knock of 102 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2024).
Coming to the match, SRH opted to bat first after winning the toss. After a slow start, opener Travis Head (58 in 44 balls, with six fours and three sixes) and all-rounder Nitish Reddy injected some momentum into the innings with a 96-run third-wicket partnership. Towards the back end of the innings, Nitish, who made an unbeaten 76* in 42 balls, with three fours and eight sixes, got fine support from Heinrich Klaasen, who overcame a brief slump in form to make an unbeaten 42 in 19 balls, with three fours and three sixes to guide SRH to 201/3 in their 20 overs.
Avesh Khan (2/39) and Sandeep Sharma (1/31) were among the wickets for RR.
In the run-chase, RR lost two quick wickets for just one run. Youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal (67 in 40 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and Riyan Parag (77 in 49 balls, with eight fours and four sixes) brought RR into the game with a 133-run third-wicket partnership. Towards the end, Rovman Powell (27 in 15 balls, with three fours and a six) almost won it for his side, but was trapped lbw on the last ball with two runs needed. SRH secured a last-ball one-run win.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/41) was the pick of the bowlers for SRH and got the 'Player of the Match' award. Skipper Pat Cummins and T Natrajan also secured two wickets.
RR is at the top with eight wins and two losses, giving them 16 points. SRH is in the fourth spot, with six wins and four losses, giving them 12 points.