Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Nitish Kumar Reddy emerged as the hero for India on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test by hitting a stunning maiden Test century to lead the hosts’ charge in front of 83000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 28.
Playing in just his fourth Test match, Reddy was astute in his strokeplay – both on front and back foot, while being solid in defence, temperament, application and composure as he joined forces with fellow all-rounder Washington Sundar, who hit a patient fifty and became the perfect second foil.
The duo came together when India were 221/7 in the first session and stitched a decisive 127-run partnership for the eighth wicket. The pitch flattening out also helped the duo keep Australia at bay as India ended day three at 358/9 in 116 overs and trail by 116 runs.
With his father Mutyala, having a constant prayer towards God, uncle and other family members watching eagerly from the front seats in the stands, Reddy brought up an emotional century in 171 deliveries through a lofted on-drive off Scott Boland.
As soon as the hundred was confirmed, Reddy dropped down to his knees and raised his arm upwards to look up to the heavens after placing his helmet on the handle of his bat (a reference to the Baahubali movie), before soaking in the moment of hitting his first Test century in front of his family, with his father in tears and thanking God with folded hands towards the skies at an iconic venue.
Reddy also became the first Indian batter to smash a Test century in Australia after coming out to bat at number eight or lower. Nine balls after Reddy got his century, bad light and later drizzle forced both teams to go off the field, with the right-handed batter holding his bat aloft and soaking in all the appreciation from his teammates and spectators at the MCG.
Resuming from 164/5, a measured Rishabh Pant collected boundaries off Pat Cummins and Boland, while surviving a caught behind appeal, as replays showed the ball brushing his elbow, and two mix-ups with Jadeja almost ending up in a run-out.
But in the 56th over, Pant began to unleash some aggression – he tried going for the scoop shot off Boland, but copped a blow into his body and fell down. On the very next ball, Pant went across to go for the scoop shot again, but got a thick top-edge edge, and was caught at third man for 28.
