In an exciting match on Saturday, December 28, 21-year-old Nitish Kumar Reddy showed off his amazing skills as he made his first Test century. Playing at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), he stepped in to bat when India was in big trouble at 191-6, chasing Australia’s tall score of 474 runs. But with a brilliant innings of 105 not out off 176 balls, Reddy turned the game around!
After reaching his century, Reddy struck the famous ‘Baahubali’ pose, celebrating his special moment. He became the first No. 8 batter to score a hundred at the MCG, beating the previous record of 92 runs set by Mitchell Johnson in 2012.
Reddy teamed up with Washington Sundar, who also played well with a solid 50 runs from 162 balls. Together, they built an important partnership of 127 runs for the eighth wicket, which helped India reach 358-9 by the end of the day. This was crucial because it reduced the gap to 116 runs and kept India from the follow-on.
Reddy’s innings showcased how determined and aggressive he can be. He hit ten fours and one six, bringing up his century with a beautiful shot over mid-on off the bowler Scott Boland. Earlier in the innings, he impressed everyone with a fantastic cover drive against Mitchell Starc, showing he can handle tough bowlers.
Starting the day at 164-5, India faced more challenges as Rishabh Pant scored only 28 runs and Ravindra Jadeja got out for 17. With the team’s top players already out, Reddy and Sundar proved to be the heroes, lifting the spirits of Indian fans at the MCG.
This knock from Reddy, in only his debut series, has been one of the biggest highlights for India. So far, he has scored 282 runs in just six Test innings with an average of over 70, making him an exciting addition to the team. The day ended early due to bad light, but Reddy stood strong, giving India hope for the next day.
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