Khammam Aces’ Ved Reddy in action against Palamuru Strikers in the inaugural TG20.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
When the idea of TG20 was first floated and plans for its inaugural season began to take shape, there was a palpable buzz across Telangana’s cricketing circles. Much of the excitement centered on the promise of discovering hidden gems — talented cricketers from districts beyond Hyderabad finally getting a stage worthy of their ambitions.That promise has been fulfilled, but perhaps no story captures TG20’s impact better than that of Ved Reddy.The 16-year-old emerged as one of the revelations of the tournament, spearheading Khammam Aces’ remarkable run to the final. Relentlessly consistent, Ved struck in all nine appearances, finishing second on the wicket-takers’ charts with 15 scalps.Like most teenagers, though, Ved’s world extends beyond cricket. Every wicket he claims is followed by a celebration that has become as recognizable as his ripping leg-breaks.ALSO READ | TG20 announces its arrival with an encouraging first chapter“It’s Michael Olise’s celebration. I am a Real Madrid fan and there are talks about him joining Real Madrid,” he tells The Hindu.An ardent admirer of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ved’s cricketing journey began almost by chance. At the age of 11, he joined a corporate league where his father played. Competing against men, he finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 15 wickets in just six matches, a breakthrough that set him firmly on the path he now walks.His transformation into a leg-spinner, however, was born less out of design and more out of practicality. “It was easy for me to turn when I was playing with the tennis ball. It was difficult to run a lot and bowl fast. I used to take two steps and spin, and that’s how I became a spinner.”While Shane Warne is one of his idols, he also looks up to Rashid Khan a lot.
