India’s Nitish Kumar Reddy plays a shot during play on the third day of the fourth cricket test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia. (AP)
Nitish Kumar Reddy on Saturday scored his first-ever international century on Day three of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Reddy guided the ball to straight down the ground to complete the maiden Test century.
Coming into bat in a pressure situation, Nitish Kumar Reddy played an innings of grit and determination as he reached the three-figure mark in 171 balls. Developing a partnership of over a hundred runs with Washington Sundar in the middle, India made a stand to avoid the follow-on as they were seven wickets down, and also drastically bringing down Australia’s lead.
Nitish Kumar Reddy has been by far India’s most consistent batter in the series and the maiden Test century couldn’t have come at a more opportune time and that too at an iconic venue.
Nitish Kumar has been in good form this entire series, piling up important runs for the teams when the top order failed to. In the first Test in Perth, Nitish Kumar scored 41 and 38* which was followed by 42 in both the innings of the Day-Night Test in Adelaide. Though he went for just 16 in the third Test at the Gabba, the Melbourne Cricket Ground saw the youngster score a maiden Test half-century, which he was eventually able to convert into a first international century, in his first Test series. This is also the highest score by a No. 8 batsman for India, as he surpassed Anil Kumble’s 87.
Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar forged a crucial partnership for the eighth wicket.
The two young all-rounders added a record 127 runs for the eighth wicket to not only avoid follow-on but also give their head coach Gautam Gambhir validation about their selection in the playing XI for this game.
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