Indian Premier League | Nitish Kumar’s batting has been unconventional: Abdul Samad

Abdul Samad praises Nitish Kumar Reddy's unconventional batting, credits openers for Sunrisers Hyderabad's success in IPL.

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Abdul Samad on Tuesday said that in the ongoing IPL season, Nitish Kumar Reddy’s batting isn’t as conventional as it was last season.

Nitish starred with 64 (37b, 4x4, 5x6), his maiden IPL fifty, in Sunrisers’ two-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) here.

“Last year, Nitish was not batting like this. Last year, he used to play conventional shots. This time, he has become completely different.

“I think he has practised very well. And he had a very good impact in our practice matches as well. So, everyone was very impressed with him. That’s why we are backing him,” Samad said at the post-match press conference.

“I think he has been promoted (from No. 6 to No. 4) today (on Tuesday) to carry the confidence of the last game (vs. Chennai Super Kings). And everyone had confidence in him that he will deliver today.”

The two sixes that Kings’ Ashutosh Sharma hit in the last over, with 29 needed to win, were palmed over the boundary by the fielders. Samad said that it wouldn’t have been a close match, had those catches been taken.

“We thought the match was a bit close because we missed two catches. Otherwise, we would have won the match by 15 runs or so.”