Ujjain buzzed with cricket fervor as Nitish Kumar Reddy graced Mahakaleshwar Temple for the sacred Bhasm Aarti at 4 AM Monday. Post the Indore ODI loss that handed New Zealand a groundbreaking 2-1 series win in India, the all-rounder found refuge in devotion, feted traditionally by priests.
Reddy’s gritty 53 in the third ODI—maiden fifty in his fourth outing—stood out amid the rubble. Captain Shubman Gill hailed him as pivotal, vowing more exposure in dual roles toward the 2027 World Cup.
A triple-format debutant, Reddy boasts impressive numbers: 10 Tests with 396 runs (1 ton) and 8 wickets; 100 ODI runs; 90 T20I runs and 3 wickets across 4 games. Team strategists are molding him into a reliable all-phase performer.
Preceded by icons like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Gautam Gambhir, and T Dilip, Reddy’s visit symbolizes sport’s spiritual dimension—recharging minds for battles ahead in the gentle glow of Mahakal’s grace.