Nitish's journey is one marked by sacrifice and the incredible strength of perseverance
Nitish Kumar Reddy in action, father Mutyala Reddy in the stands (Pic: AFP/Screengrab/X)
When Nitish Kumar Reddy slammed his maiden Test century at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), a sense of relief washed over him, and it was evident that he had truly arrived on the big stage. However, the century was not merely a personal milestone, it stood as a testament to his relentless dedication and the unwavering support of his father.
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Nitish's journey is one marked by sacrifice and the incredible strength of perseverance. Yet, if there is one person who has played the leading role in this story, it is his father, Mutyala Reddy.
"Everyone wants to be a hero in their cinema, but when it comes to Nitish's story, it is Mutyala who is the hero," said childhood coach Kumar Swamy in an interview with theindianexpress.com. "It is his father's hard work that fuels Nitish to achieve something in life. He witnessed everything his father had gone through. There was significant criticism, even from close family members, about him not having a job and wasting his time. But his father never gave up."
NITISH CENTURY!
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 28, 2024
A glorious lofted drive brings up the milestone!
His dad in tears in the stands, what a moment 🙌#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/W1SJNHlN4J
Nitish kumar reddy's father reaction when his son played a shot in air while on 97 runs.#INDvsAUS #nitishkumarreddy #BoxingDayTest #WashingtonSundar pic.twitter.com/TPC3oFVXxk
— 🏏CricketFeed (@CricketFeedIN) December 28, 2024
- Sacrificed his job.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 28, 2024
- Retired 25 years early.
- Gave his full attention to Nitish Kumar Reddy.
- Took him to training and gave all the facilities he could despite financial conditions.
THIS IS HOW A PROUD FATHER LOOKS LIKE WHEN HIS DREAMS TURNS INTO A REALITY...!!! 🙇♂️🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/uc5hnjAtC3
Mutyala’s decision to leave a stable job in order to support his son's uncertain cricketing dreams invited harsh criticism, even from those closest to him.
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Nitish, who had once been a carefree child, could not ignore the toll that his passion for cricket was taking on his father. Reflecting on that moment, Reddy shared in an interview with bcci.tv, “To be honest, I wasn’t that serious when I was young. My father left his job for me. There has been lots of sacrifice in my story. One day, I saw him crying due to the financial struggles he was facing, and it felt like I had to do the hard work.”
He continued, “Like, your father made this sacrifice, and you’re just enjoying cricket for fun. That’s when I took it seriously. Suddenly, in one year, I made significant progress, put in the hard work, and it paid off.”
That hard work reached its zenith on Saturday at the MCG when Nitish finally brought up his long-awaited three-figure score.
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