Nitish Kumar Reddy on injury management — Important to keep a positive mindset during recovery
India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy picked three wickets in the second T20I against Afghanistan on Tuesday to win the Player of the Match award.
This marked a successful return from injury for the 23-year-old, who had suffered a side strain during the ODI series against Afghanistan in June and had to miss the T20I tours to Ireland, England and Zimbabwe.
The all-rounder has suffered repeated injury setbacks through his nascent career and emphasised the need to keep a positive mindset through rehabilitation.
“Because I am an all-rounder, I have a much heavier workload to manage. I have to keep an eye on it and prioritize recovery. I take all the precautions, but when you get injured, you naturally feel bad. It is all about the mindset, you have to remain strong during these times. You don’t need anything negative coming in at that time. You just have to have a positive mindset, do good things and god will give you at the right time,” Nitish said in a video posted by BCCI after the second T20I in New Delhi.
Speaking about how he stays rooted and steps away from the everyday grind, Nitish said: “I have a couple of friends who I talk to every day. It can be mentally fatiguing at the CoE. It feels great to get so many facilities to train, perform and improve your abilities. I talk to my friends and family, and once in a while I go home for a day or two and come back. That gives some relief but mentally it is something we need to take care of.”
Nitish had given away 30 runs in two overs in the first T20I but bounced back in the second game, prising out the wickets of Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, and Rashid Khan.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir have been criticised for giving limited bowling opportunities to Nitish, but the Andhra cricketer said he was grateful to the Indian team management for making him a regular in the side.
“Feels great [to pick three wickets]! Every player needs confidence when they’re coming back from injury. To be fair, the first game was not that great for me. But the second, I felt great, I am feeling much happier because any player would be needing this confidence and I hope I can carry this forward.
“It is always a privilege to be a part of this team and this management has given me enough opportunities and shown the trust in me. That is what any player needs.”
Published on Sep 16, 2026