Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy expressed relief after delivering a long-awaited match-winning performance in the IPL 2026, playing a key role in his team’s commanding 65-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens.
Reddy contributed significantly with both bat and ball, scoring a quickfire 39 off 24 deliveries and stitching together an 82-run partnership with Heinrich Klaasen. He then backed it up with an impressive spell of 2/17, helping SRH register their first win of the season. His all-round display earned him the Player of the Match award.
“It’s the match-winning performance I was waiting for a long time. Thankfully, it came at the right time, and even my bowling has given me confidence. Just trying to be positive. There have been too many negative thoughts in my mind because the last season didn’t go my way, and I couldn’t bowl last season. I’ve worked really hard on my bowling, and it’s paying off, and that really makes you feel happy, and I am happy now. Thanks to the trainers and physios, my body is fully fit now,” said Reddy at the conclusion of the game.
SRH earlier posted a formidable 226/8, the highest total of the season so far, before bundling out KKR for 161 to seal a comprehensive win.
Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat, who picked up 3/21 and currently holds the Purple Cap, also reflected on the team’s improved performance after their opening loss.
“It’s very early in the season, but I’m happy to get this whenever I can. I feel experience counts. It’s about not worrying about what people on the outside say. Whatever works on the day works.
“Cutters were working today, so we stuck to that. We bowled into the pitch, got some good wickets in between, got a lucky breakthrough, and got that run out. So, pretty happy with the bowling performance. We didn’t bowl well in the first game. I think we didn’t execute our plans, but today was a good performance overall,” he said.
Unadkat also highlighted the importance of communication between batters and bowlers in assessing conditions during the match.
“I think while our batting innings were going on, and obviously the feedback from our batters was that the wicket is double-paced, the ball was sticking on the pitch. So, always working together and the communication worked.
“I always try to keep two options open on top of the mark and just see what the batter is trying to do, if he’s trying to move around or if he’s just trying to clear his leg. Most of the time it’s deciding on top of the mark. Sometimes you’re going to mix at the end.
“Changing the angles, trying to keep the batsman guessing all the time. Obviously the pitches and the grounds make you feel like you get hit on good balls as well. So, just keep doing different stuff and make the batsman guess all the time. I think that’s what worked for me today,” he concluded.