Until a few decades ago, a fast bowler from Andhra Pradesh leading the Indian pace attack in international cricket was a distant dream.
Opening the bowling alongside Prasidh Krishna, he shared the new ball for the match. But on Sunday (September 27, 2026), Nitish Kumar Reddy , 23, from Gajuwaka, a suburb of Visakhapatnam , became the first fast bowler from Andhra to head the Indian pace attack.
Beginning his career as a net bowler for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) during the 2021 IPL season, Nitish has steadily moved up the ladder. After making his IPL breakthrough in 2023 for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at a base price of ₹20 lakh, he never looked back. He shot into the limelight in 2024, winning the IPL Emerging Player of the Year Award, and was later retained by SRH for ₹6 crore.
This performance reflected the confidence his captain and the Indian team management have in him. Even counting undivided Andhra Pradesh, Nitish is the first player from the State to achieve this honour. Former international Abid Ali and current star Mohammed Siraj both represented Hyderabad. Parthasarathi, a former Ranji player and international umpire, and Secretary of the Visakhapatnam District Cricket Association.
“He has proven himself as an all-rounder in almost all formats of the game, including Test matches, highlighted by his century against Australia in Australia during his debut series,” said K.