Nitish Kumar Reddy starred as he led India’s fightback against Australia on day three of the fourth Test, scoring a maiden century and finishing the day unbeaten on 105.
India (358-9) still trailed Australia (474) by 116 runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground after Saturday’s play but staved off a worse deficit thanks to Reddy.
The 21-year-old is playing in only his fourth Test, but, batting at No 8, he steadied India from a vulnerable 221-7, compiling a 127-run partnership alongside Washington Sundar (50).
The pair fell two runs shy of equalling the record for an eighth-wicket stand for India versus Australia of 129 which was set by Harbhajan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2008.
Spin-bowling all-rounder Sundar offered a difficult chance off the back of his bat to second slip on 18, which was dropped by a diving Steve Smith as Mitchell Starc bowled the first over with the second new ball.
India’s Washington Sundar (left) and Reddy put on 127 for the eighth wicket
With Reddy on 97, Sundar’s 162-ball knock finally ended when he was caught at slip off the bowling of spinner Nathan Lyon (2-88) at 348-8. The patient Sundar struck just one boundary.
Reddy played a lofted drive to cover to move to 99 but lost Jasprit Bumrah for a duck, caught at first slip off the bowling of Pat Cummins (3-86), in the following over at 350-9.
Mohammed Siraj had to survive three deliveries from Cummins, allowing Reddy to seize the moment and complete his century in the following over with an on-drive to the boundary, leading to deafening roars from the thousands of India fans in the stands.
Reddy’s hundred came off 171 deliveries and included 10 fours and one six. Only nine more deliveries were bowled before play was delayed and then called off due to bad light and rain, with Reddy unbeaten on 105.
Reddy acknowledged the crowd as he walked off the field after bad light stopped play
Resuming on Saturday on 164-5, India had wobbled to 244-7 at lunch, losing the wickets of Rishabh Pant (28) and Ravindra Jadeja (17).
Australia’s hopes of quickly skittling India’s tail faded, however, as 82 runs were added without loss in the post-lunch session. Cummins and Scott Boland (3-57) took three wickets each for Australia.
Australia’s first-innings total of 474 was highlighted by Smith’s 34th century. Smith’s 140 lifted the 35-year-old to equal-seventh most hundreds in Test cricket.
The five-match series is level at 1-1 after a draw at Brisbane. The fifth and final Test is scheduled to start on January 3 at Sydney.
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