Chennai: On the first day of the second and last Youth Test against Australia Under-19 at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday, 18-year-old Nitya Pandya played an important role in the Indian Under-19 team’s victory by scoring a brilliant 94 runs in 135 balls. Born in Banswara district of Rajasthan, Nitya came to Baroda with his mother and sister to fulfill his cricket dreams. However, this step was not easy. The story of Nitya Pandya is no less than that of Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya.
Story like Hardik-Krunal
After returning to Rajasthan, Nitya Pandya completed her schooling. He used to travel 50 kilometers by bus from his village, Anjana to Banswara for coaching. He could catch the 2 pm bus and return only by 10 pm. This was the time when the Pandya brothers, Hardik and Krunal were making their mark in the IPL, forcing his father to think why not send his son to Baroda.
Big fan of Virat
Nitya Pandya is a big fan of Virat Kohli. Not only does he sledge the opposition players like Kohli, but his batting is also impressive. He has taken inspiration for all these things from his idol Kohli.
Let’s copy Kohli
Speaking to The Indian Express, Nitya’s coach Digvijay Rathwa said, ‘She has learned such things from watching Kohli and doing sledging. When he comes on the field, he wants to be like Kohli. Sunglasses, collar up, fielding style and even celebrating wickets. You will see him imitating Kohli whenever possible. If Kohli does something, Pandya will repeat it on the field the next day. If he is not doing anything then it means his mind is somewhere else or he is feeling a little pressure.
considered a long race horse
Nitya’s journey has been a long awaited journey full of patience and enthusiasm. After shifting to Baroda, he took admission in Motibagh Cricket Academy, where coach Digvijay trained him. However, due to Baroda Cricket Association rules, he had to waste three years of his career due to reasons like transfer between states. Despite these setbacks, Nitya’s determination to succeed never diminished.