AUS vs IND, MCG Test: Nitish Reddy bails India out with his maiden Test century at Melbourne. Nitish Reddy becomes the third-youngest India batter to score century in Australia.
In 150 years of Test cricket, only four visiting batters playing at No. 8 or lower have scored a century against Australia Down Under. Nitish Kumar Reddy of India became the fifth to achieve this feat with an unbeaten 105 at stumps on Day 3 of the Melbourne Test. The exclusive list includes Matt Prior of England, Yasir Shah of Pakistan, Adam Parore of New Zealand, and Gerry Alexander of the West Indies.
At 21, Reddy has also joined another esteemed group of the youngest Indian players to score a century in Australia. He is the third youngest, following Sachin Tendulkar and Rishabh Pant.
Reddy’s counter-attacking batting makes headlines
Reddy was primarily chosen as a fifth bowling option to support the main pacers. While he did take occasional wickets to break threatening stands or dismiss set batters, it was his batting that made headlines since his debut in the Perth Test earlier in the series.
In the first innings of the Perth Test, with India reeling at 73/6, Reddy played a counter-attacking knock of 41 off 59 balls, helping the team reach 150. In the second innings, he contributed a quickfire 38 not out off 27 balls to set up an early declaration. In the day-night Test at Adelaide, Reddy showcased his resilience with twin scores of 42, maintaining a strike rate of over 77 in each innings. His audacious reverse scoop for six over third man off Scott Boland was hailed as the shot of the series.
Reddy consistently unleashed his counter-attacking game, despite batting low in the order, where he often had to mitigate the risk of losing partners at the other end.
Reddy, the batter, comes to the party
India placed their bet on Reddy more as a batter than a bowler, as the team’s fragile top-order forced them to include three all-rounders in the Melbourne Test. The decision appears to have paid off, with Reddy, batting at No. 8, walking his way into the record books.
Reddy again faced the risk of losing partners when he came out to bat at 191/6, following Rishabh Pant’s dismissal to a careless shot. The situation worsened when Ravindra Jadeja fell at 221/7, leaving India still trailing by 253 runs and seemingly down and out.
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Sundar’s presence makes it easy for Reddy
However, the presence of Washington Sundar helped Reddy settle down and play according to the situation. The duo first weathered the storm before capitalising on the opportunity to stitch a record 127-run partnership for the eighth wicket.
During this stand, Reddy displayed excellent game awareness, carefully grinding down the bowling attack. He showed patience by leaving deliveries outside the off-stump and evading short balls aimed at his body. When the opportunity arose, he chose his attacking shots wisely, pouncing on over-pitched deliveries. A straight drive off Scott Boland was widely regarded as the shot of the day. He also skipped down the pitch to launch a delivery from Nathan Lyon for a straight six.
Drama and thrills pave way for maiden Test ton
Nitish Reddy seemed well-poised to score his maiden Test century, but trust the India-Australia series to deliver unexpected drama. When Lyon dismissed Sundar for 50, Reddy began farming the strike to inch closer to his milestone. However, a miscommunication with No. 10 Jasprit Bumrah led to him running twos on the last ball of the over, leaving him stranded at the non-striker’s end in the next over.
Needing just a single for a memorable ton, Reddy watched as Bumrah lost his wicket on the third ball. Mohammed Siraj, familiar with such tense moments, stepped in and bravely defended the last three balls of the over to keep Reddy’s hopes alive. In the following over, after two dot balls, Reddy finally broke free, lofting a shot over mid-on to reach his cherished century. The moment was made even more emotional as his father wept with joy and Indian fans erupted in celebration in the stands.
Praises pour in from all quarters
Reddy received praise from all quarters, including legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, the youngest Indian to score a century in Australia. Tendulkar lauded Reddy, stating, “He has impressed me right from the first Test, and his composure and temperament have been on display throughout. Today, he took it a notch higher with a crucial innings in this series.”
West Indian legend Ian Bishop also commended Reddy’s performance, saying, “That’s a Test century of high quality and technical skill from 21-year-old Nitish Kumar Reddy. He left the ball expertly and attacked when needed.”
Compared to his previous innings in the series, Reddy was in complete control during his century, aided by the presence of a reliable partner in Washington Sundar. Batting with Sundar allowed him to build his innings more methodically. In contrast, his earlier knocks in the series often featured counter-attacking strokes when batting alongside tailenders.
This innings showcased Reddy’s smart cricketing brain, as he demonstrated the ability to adapt his game to suit the team’s needs and the match situation. His versatility and situational awareness underline his value to the team.
Cricketing brain and batting technique are Reddy’s staple
It was a high-quality innings from Reddy as he faced a formidable bowling attack capable of dismantling any opposition on their day. Reddy showed respect for good deliveries while capitalizing on poor ones and took calculated risks with lofted shots or by hitting over the infield and the bowler. This approach highlighted his strong mindset for playing long Test innings, as he faced more than 150 balls to reach his century.
Reddy’s impressive technical skills against rising deliveries were also evident as he ducked and defended with finesse. Battling the challenge of batting at No. 8 to score a special century, Reddy demonstrated that he is more than capable of handling such a low position in the order and merits a promotion in the batting lineup.
If Nitish Reddy can refine his bowling, he has the potential to become the medium-pace all-rounder India has long been searching for. For now, however, Reddy the batter is on cloud nine and richly deserves the accolades coming his way.
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