Meet the Parents Who Kept Nitish's Dreams Alive

MAKING OF THE CHAMP

- GOMESH S @ Melbourne

MUTYALA Reddy was the star at lunch on day four of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In fact, his entire family was. His daughter Tejaswi joined the commentary for ABC Radio to talk about the journey her brother, Nitish K Reddy, and what the family has been through to get here.

While Nitish had his moment of glory late on Saturday evening, Mutyala had his own to cherish when he ran into the former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar. An out-and-out emotional person, Mutyala could not resist tearing up in front of Gavaskar. He touched the former India captain's feet who shares the name of the ongoing series with Allan Border, and so did the entire family.

Shortly after, he was once again swarmed by the Indian media, doing interviews one after another. One of the questions were about his meeting with Gavaskar and why he reacted the way he did. Mutyala got emotional trying to explain. "I know where I come from," he said, before adding, "No one knew me if I went from my village to another. Today, forget India, Australians are asking for selfies. I cannot express how happy I am."

"To meet Gavaskar sir, I am not exaggerating, he is like a God to me. Sachin Tendulkar gaaru, Gavaskar gaaru, Rahul Dravid gaaru all these people are looked at as Gods of sport. To meet them, it felt like meeting God. That is why I asked for his blessings and fell on his feet. When someone like him is in happy tears because of my son what is wrong in getting his blessings?"