New Delhi: After his stellar performance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Nitish Kumar Reddy’s family was spotted with Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma. The Reddy family has been a constant source of support for Nitish throughout his cricketing journey. India found themselves in a tough position when Nitish and Washington Sundar came to the crease. Together, they formed a vital 127-run partnership. With Sundar’s departure and Bumrah dismissed for a duck, Nitish’s century seemed under threat as the Australian bowlers tightened their lines. But Nitish capitalized on the moment, hitting a boundary to long-on and celebrating his century with flair. His inning was crucial for the match but even more crucial for to keep the hopes alive of team India for qualifying for The World Test Championship final.
Sometimes, a bowler outwits you; other times, you’re the architect of your own downfall. Rishabh Pant’s dismissal on the third morning was a perfect example of the latter. Trying a reverse sweep, Pant misjudged the shot, sending it straight to third man and losing his wicket, leaving India at 191 for 6. The Australians sensed the momentum shift, and the stands buzzed with excitement. For India, the situation looked increasingly dire.
Reddy has shown confidence and determination throughout the tour, accumulating three scores of over 40. However, this innings was different. The Andhra Pradesh all-rounder was selected ahead of a specialist batter like Shubman Gill, which brought additional pressure. Batting with the tail and playing shots is one thing, but grinding out runs to avoid the follow-on is another. Despite this challenge, Reddy remained unfazed, playing his shots freely and quickly reaching 20 at almost a run a ball.
After lunch, with India still needing 31 runs to avoid the follow-on, Reddy and his partner, Washington Sundar, faced a difficult task. The second new ball was just seven overs away, and Australia knew that handling it would be tough. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins were ready to attack with the fresh ball.
But Reddy had other plans. As soon as the new ball was introduced, he launched a series of shots that took Australia by surprise. For a brief period, runs flowed freely, and India quickly avoided the follow-on. Reddy then raced to his maiden Test fifty.
With Sundar at the other end, Reddy played with composure and helped bring India back into the contest. By the time the umpires called for early tea, the deficit had been reduced to 148. Reddy was on 85, and the MCG buzzed with excitement, sensing that something special was unfolding.
