Emerging India allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy’s first international century, coming in emotional scenes in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, will be “remembered forever”.
Reddy – first picked for India in Perth last month, mainly off IPL form – continued his classy debut series with a game-shaping ton in the fourth Test of this enthralling battle for the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
India were 9-358, trailing Australia by 116, when stumps were called early late on day three due to bad light, with Reddy unbeaten on 105.
Reddy’s maiden Test century came from 171 balls, as he reached his milestone under gloomy skies with the threat of rain lingering.
The talented 21-year-old was almost left stranded on 99, but No.11 Mohammed Siraj (2no) survived four tense deliveries from Australia captain Pat Cummins to allow him to regain the strike.
Powerful right-hander Reddy then celebrated his ton by taking a knee and saluting the crowd of 83,073 – a record for day three of a Boxing Day Test – with his father, Mutalya, in the crowd shedding tears of joy.
It was the highest Test score from an Indian No.8 in Australia.
Reddy joined immortals Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar and Virat Kohli as Indians to have scored a Test century at the MCG.
He combined for a 127-run stand with fellow allrounder Washington Sundar (50). The pair fell one run short of breaking the record for the highest eighth-wicket partnership by an Indian pair against Australia when Sundar was caught at slip off Nathan Lyon.
“(Reddy) got an unbelievable hundred. I’m sure this will be remembered forever,” Sundar said.
“Mentally, he is very, very strong.
“I’ve known him for quite a few years and the way he went about his business today was amazing.”
After India had been still in danger of not reaching the follow-on target of 275 when they began day three on 5-164, Reddy and Sundar took advantage of a flat pitch and a tiring Australian bowling attack.
Reddy has been a revelation for India since debuting in the Border-Gavaskar series-opener.
The regular No.8 is India’s highest scorer for the series, with 284 runs at an average of 71 to begin his Test career.
He is behind only Australian star Travis Head (409) for the most runs by any batter in the series.
Earlier, India legend Sunil Gavaskar blasted aggressive wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant for a “stupid” dismissal in the first session.
Pant, the hero of India’s famous series win in Australia four years ago, departed in reckless fashion when he mis-hit a Scott Boland (3-57) delivery to Lyon at third man.
The previous delivery, Pant had been hit in the midriff by Boland while attempting almost the same shot.
Pant also fell over in the process of attempting to play the leg-side shot that was his downfall, prompting Gavaskar to call it a “shocking” way to depart.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” an exasperated Gavaskar said on ABC Radio.
“You missed the previous shot, and look where you’ve been caught. That is throwing away your wicket.
“He should not be going in that (India’s) dressing room, he should be going in the other dressing room.”
Boland, Cummins (3-86) and Lyon (2-88) have shared the wickets, while left-armer Mitchell Starc battled through a sore back to send down 25 overs.
“(Starc) just had a bit of a niggle in his back or rib … but he came back on in after the break and was bowling 140(km/h) so I think he’s going to be fine,” Boland said.
With the five-match series tied 1-1, India will retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy if they pull off an extraordinary comeback victory in this fourth Test.
Australia need to prevent the tourists from winning one of the last two Tests in this series, while claiming at least one themselves to regain the trophy for the first time since 2014-15.
