Published: July 18, 2026 at 10:52 pm
Ved Reddy is just 16 years old, but the teenager has the heart of a lion. The rookie leg spinner showed no nerves and bowled like a seasoned player in front of a big crowd at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in the recently concluded HCA’s TG20.
Playing for Khammam Aces, young Ved Reddy emerged as the second highest wicket-taker behind Ajay Dev Goud. Taking 15 wickets, which included his best figures of 3 for 25, Ved showed that he is a spinner full of promise.
Impressed by his eye-catching performances, Kolkata Knight Riders have called this talented leg spinner for trials that will be held on July 21 and 22 at Kolkata. “It is a great opportunity. I’m looking forward to this trial. This tournament has given me a lot of confidence and has made me a more confident bowlers,” said Ved.
Harimohan, Abhijit laud Ved
Former Hyderabad fast bowler and chairman of selectors Harimohan Paruvu and coach Abhijit Chatterjee were all excited when asked about this young leg spinner.
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Harimohan, who was the mentor of the Khammam team, said the leg spinner was amazing. “We had watched videos of Ved Reddy while we were looking for leg spinners in the early stages of the team. We had also seen his track record at the Under-16 and junior levels which was impressive. This year he was selected for the Under-16 National Cricket Academy (NCA) camp and came directly from Bengaluru.
“We liked what we saw in the videos and decided to have him in the squad and check him out in trial games. But thereafter, in every trial game he looked apart and he forced his way into the XI. Without doubt he has good skills but added to that he has that maturity and character beyond his years which I believe will stand him in good stead. We are confident he will achieve his potential going forward, if he is handled right,” Harimohan said.
Chatterjee, who was the head coach, said Ved is the player for the future. “He is a confident bowler. Self-belief could take him a long way provided he is focused and works harder in the nets. When he walked into the nets, we could see his body language that spoke of his talent. He impressed us immediately and we felt we made the right choice. What we plan and tell him, he executes it beautifully. He has a good grasping power and has a steady head,” the coach said.
The coach further added that he never showed nervousness. “He has all the qualities of a good leg spinner in making. He has a very deceptive googly which bemuses the batter. I still remember the ball he bowled against an in-form batter Abhirath Reddy of Hyderabad E-Champions. The opener was stunned with the delivery that came in sharply. He has other variations like leg spin or top spin.
“He is only 16 but bowls like a seasoned spinner. In this tournament, he got the best of the batters with his variations. Leg spin has come naturally to him. He will learn as he plays more matches and bowls against seasoned batters. He is mentally strong and a street-smart cricketer. That is the biggest quality for any promising spinner,” said Chatterjee.
Ved sets higher goals for himself
Ved, who is a second-year Intermediate student at Sri Chaitanya Junior College, has set for himself higher goals. “When I was selected for the Khammam team, I was all prepared for the tournament as I knew this would help me in the long run. I’m very lucky to have people like Dilshan sir (former Sri Lankan opener), Harimohan sir, Chatterjee sir and my captain CV Milind. They gave me confidence and made me mentally stronger.
“I was a little nervous in the first match against Palamaru Strikers but fortunately I settled down nicely. I got into a good rhythm and stuck on my basics. I got two wickets and the first wicket was against Vignesh Reddy with a googly, which is my strength. I do make a lot of mental notes, and I do vary my line and length according to the conditions of the wicket,” he said.
Ved said that his spell of 3 for 26 was the best. “It came against Nalgonda Knights. It was a must-win match for us. I will always remember this spell. In the final against Hyderabad, I had figures of 4-0-23-1. I stayed cool and calm. I would have been happier if I had won the tournament. That was the only regret,” he said.
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The young leg spinner incidentally got attracted to the game when he used to accompany his father (a businessman) for the corporate tournaments from the age of 11 years. “I began liking the game and interestingly when I got the ball for the first time, I tried leg spin and it came naturally to me,” he said.
Seeing his growing interest, his father Naveen joined his son in Coaching Beyond. “That stint made me a good bowler. I could find the difference. I slowly learned different variations before I was selected for the Hyderabad Under-14 team. I captured four wickets against Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Ved began to grow in confidence and in the Under-16 tournament, he bagged 16 wickets in the first season and in the last season he got 18 wickets. Noticing his performances, he was asked to attend the NCA camp. “Anirudh (Singh) sir was one of the coaches who helped me a lot,” he added.
The leg spinner is looking forward to the Under-19 tournaments. “I want to work hard and do well in the Under-19 Vinoo Mankad and Cooch Behar tournaments.”’
He has set his eyes on the Under-19 World Cup to be played in 2027. “Therefore, this season’s performances will be very important for me and will give me an opportunity to play in the World Cup. At the moment, I am nervous and excited for KKR nets,” signed off Ved.
