"He played hardly 6 or 7 balls, then I felt that this boy is something different" - MSK Prasad on grooming BGT 2024-25 centurion Nitish Kumar Reddy

MSK Prasad has disclosed that he felt Nitish Kumar Reddy was destined for big things when he saw him batting for the first time. He recalled the time Reddy's father brought him to the nets in his pre-teens and asked the Andhra Cricket Association to groom him.

Reddy scored an unbeaten 105 off 176 deliveries as India ended Day 3 (Saturday, December 28) of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25's fourth Test in Melbourne at 358 for nine in their first innings. The visitors still trail the hosts by 116 runs, with Mohammed Siraj (2* off 7) being the other unbeaten batter.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Prasad was asked about his first interaction with Reddy.

"His father brought him to the nets in Vizag, saying he was not in a situation to take care of the kid, and asked Andhra Cricket to take care of him if possible. We said we would check him in the nets. He played hardly six or seven balls, then I felt that this boy is something different," he responded.

The former India wicketkeeper-batter added that the all-rounder moved through the various age-group state academies before excelling at the international level.

"The kind of timing, the sound itself, said that he is meant to play for a different level. That's how we shifted him to Kadapa. Kadapa is actually on the other side of Andhra Pradesh. Somehow he stayed there for three years, then he moved to another academy, and from there we moved him to the under-19 academy, and rest is the world right now," Prasad observed.

MSK Prasad noted that Nitish Kumar Reddy was comfortable against the new ball in the Melbourne Test as he started his career as an opener. He added that the situation was tailor-made for his pupil.

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"I am really short of words" - MSK Prasad on his emotions after Nitish Kumar Reddy's century

Nitish Kumar Reddy has been a consistent performer with the bat in BGT 2024-25. [P/C: Getty]

In the same discussion, MSK Prasad was asked about his emotions after watching Nitish Kumar Reddy score a century in the ongoing BGT.

"I am really short of words. It's a very, very emotional moment. I am as emotional as his father. I took these people's careers in my hand. I actually adopted 105 kids and gave them studies, coaching and clothing for free at the Andhra Cricket Association. We took them through a systematic process," he replied.

The former India selector added that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) funds helped them in grooming the youngsters.

"We groomed them properly in the academy with the BCCI funds. I am very, very happy. I can't take this credit myself but at the same time, his father, we have already been seeing so many stories about that," Prasad noted.

Reddy's father was at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Saturday. The family faced a lot of financial issues as he had to quit his government job for his child's sake when he was transferred to Rajasthan.