India fight back in Boxing Day Test as Reddy hits maiden century

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India’s rookie all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy provided a glimmer of hope for his side on the third day of the fourth Test against Australia in Melbourne, scoring a composed century to fight back from a difficult position.

The 21-year-old Reddy, in only his fourth Test match, reached three figures with a confident boundary off Scott Boland, sending Indian fans into jubilation at the MCG.

 

 

 

 

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Reddy’s unbeaten knock of 105, coming off 176 balls, was a crucial contribution as India closed the day on 358/9, still trailing Australia’s first-innings total of 474 by 116 runs.

 

 

 

 

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Reddy shared a vital 127-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Washington Sundar, who made 50, helping India recover from 221/7. Their stand ensured that India avoided the follow-on and kept their hopes alive of a comeback in the match.

Reddy, who showed remarkable composure throughout his innings, was praised by his batting partner Sundar: “His mentality is very, very strong. The way he went about his innings was amazing,” Sundar said.

The breakthrough came when Reddy, stranded on 99, had to wait for tailender Mohammed Siraj to block out a few balls from Pat Cummins to allow Reddy to reach his century. A roaring crowd of 83,073 gave Reddy a standing ovation as he raised his bat in celebration.

 

 

 

 

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Despite Reddy's heroics, India still faces a challenging task ahead. The team must mount a strong effort to deny Australia victory and avoid falling behind 2-1 in the five-match series.

Australia’s bowlers struggled to make inroads on a flat pitch, with Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins unable to break the Indian resistance. The key breakthroughs came from Nathan Lyon, who dismissed Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja, and Scott Boland, who took the wickets of Rishabh Pant and Akash Deep earlier in the innings.

Lyon, who has been a major force in the series, also ended the 30-run partnership between Reddy and Jadeja. Boland, with three wickets, was the pick of the Australian bowlers.

In a tense moment before tea, Starc appeared to suffer a back issue, but he returned to the field after treatment and was able to bowl in the final session.

As day four looms, India will need Reddy to continue his fight, with Siraj at the crease alongside him, to extend their innings and make inroads into Australia’s commanding lead.