'It Would Be Unfair': Ex Pakistan Cricketer Praises Pat Cummins For Abhishek And Nitish Reddy’s Rise
Abhishek Sharma, Pat Cummins and Nitish Reddy [Source: @ramanaXtweets and @CricCrazyJohns/ X.com]
Former Pakistani cricketer Basit Ali has given special credit to Australian pacer and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins for the rise of two promising Indian cricketers, Abhishek Sharma and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Both players delivered notable performances in India’s recent T20I match against Sri Lanka in Gwalior and Delhi , and Basit Ali believes Cummins played a key role in their development.
Pat Cummins was appointed as the captain of SRH ahead of the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Under his leadership, the team reached the finals but lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Despite the loss, Cummins’ captaincy was widely appreciated, especially for how he mentored young players like Abhishek Sharma and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
According to Basit Ali, Cummins’ guidance and support during the IPL have been instrumental in shaping the careers of these two Indian cricketers. In a video on his YouTube channel, Basit Ali mentioned,
“A special mention to Pat Cummins. It would be unfair if I didn't take his name. The way he has supported Abhishek Sharma and Nitish Kumar Reddy in the IPL, we must address that."
Abhishek Sharma and Nitish Reddy’s Rise in Intl' Cricket
Abhishek Sharma made his T20I debut earlier this year against Zimbabwe and caught everyone’s attention with a brilliant 100-run knock in just his second international match. Nitish Kumar Reddy, on the other hand, earned his maiden India call-up during the ongoing T20I series against Bangladesh. In the second match, he was named Player of the Match for his stunning all-round performance.
Nitish’s blistering 74 runs off just 34 balls helped India post a total of 221/9. He also contributed with the ball, taking 2 wickets for 23 runs, as Bangladesh struggled to a mere 135/9. His exceptional performance helped India secure an 86-run win and clinch the series with an unassailable 2-0 lead.
With this victory, India has dominated the T20I series against Bangladesh, and the team is set to play the final match on October 12 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.