The ‘Telugu brothers’ tag was trending on social media after Indian batters Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy delivered a brilliant finishing act against New Zealand in the second T20I at Christchurch on Saturday (October 24, 2026) . Their excellent display with the bat triggered a flood of memes, posts and celebratory messages from cricket fans, particularly in the Telugu-speaking States.

The two cricketers, Tilak from Telangana and Nitish from Andhra Pradesh, became the centre of attention as fans celebrated their contribution to India's performance. Social media users hailed the duo for their composure and finishing skills, with many expressing pride at seeing two Telugu cricketers make their presence felt on the international stage.

Several posts carried the tagline “Telugu brothers destroying New Zealand”, while others celebrated what they described as a memorable moment for Telugu cricket fans. Fans from both States came together online to hail the duo, describing their partnership and finishing efforts as a moment of pride for Telugu cricket enthusiasts.

A video of Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy conversing in Telugu during the innings also went viral.

The celebrations continued hours after the match, with Nitish Kumar Reddy joining the online buzz. He shared photographs of himself with Tilak Varma and captioned the post “Saripodha Sanivaram”, borrowing the title of the popular Telugu film. The caption drew an enthusiastic response from fans, who flooded the comments section with jokes, praise and references to the duo's performance.

Cricketer Vijay Tripurana, who represents Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League, also joined the conversation, commenting “Shiva Tandavame” on Nitish's post. The remark added to the celebratory mood and drew further attention to the post.

His 26 runs off 13 balls and an unbroken 69-run seventh-wicket partnership with Tilak Varma sealed the victory for India. Nitish, who hails from Visakhapatnam, was also given the game changer of the match award.

Lokesh showers praise

Meanwhile, IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh praised the Telugu cricketers.

“Telugu cricketers Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy steered Team India from the brink of defeat to victory in the Christchurch T20 against New Zealand. The duo, conversing fluently in beautiful Telugu, coordinated seamlessly to finish the match. Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who showcased the prowess of Telugu spirit and the sweetness of the Telugu language on a New Zealand stage to the world, heartfelt congratulations,” Mr. Lokesh posted on social media.