A gutsy century from Indian rising star Nitish Kumar Reddy in front of his emotional father in the stands helped haul the tourists off the canvas at the MCG, giving them a fighting chance of staving off defeat in the fourth Test.
Australia’s hopes of taking a 2-1 series lead with just one Test left in the Border-Gavaskar were left bruised after a courageous 127-run eighth-wicket stand between Reddy and spinner Washington Sundar on day three of a gripping Test.
A day that began with Australia aiming to polish off the Indian tail and secure a big first-innings lead ended with the tourists still occupying the crease, with India at 9-358, trailing Australia by 116 runs, when players came off for bad light at 5.25pm.
India lost just four wickets across 70 overs of play on Saturday as Australia’s bowlers were made to toil away unsuccessfully with a second new ball.
Having made his debut in the first Test at Perth, Reddy’s stocks continue to soar after the 21-year-old brought up a maiden Test century off 171 balls. Sundar perished for an important 50, caught by Steve Smith off Nathan Lyon.
When Jasprit Bumrah was removed by Pat Cummins for a duck, India were nine down with Reddy still on 99. No.11 Mohammed Siraj had to survive three balls to get his partner a shot at becoming the first No.8 batsman to reach triple figures in a Test at the MCG.
Nitish Kumar Reddy celebrates reaching three figures.Credit: AP
Siraj kept Cummins out before Reddy drove a ball over the head of mid-on to bring up his hundred, before celebrating by planting his bat into the ground and hanging his helmet from the handle.
Cameras panned to his father, Mutyala Reddy, who had been shown praying throughout the innings and looked an emotional wreck when his son was in the 90s.
“He is saying for our family it is a very special day,” Reddy’s uncle told Fox commentator Adam Gilchrist in a translation for Mutyala. “We cannot forget this day in our life.”
Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc appeared to be nursing a back complaint during the day but continued to bowl without luck or wickets, finishing with figures of 0-86 from 25 overs.
The fact Starc continued to bowl eased concerns he had suffered a serious injury, but a three-day turnaround between the Melbourne and Sydney Tests might prompt selectors to consider bringing in a fresher paceman.
Reddy’s score was the highest by an Indian No.8 batsman in a Test in Australia. He now boasts the second most runs in the series, behind only Travis Head, with 284 runs at 71.
Centuries from No.8 are uncommon, but India’s Ravi Ashwin managed triple figures batting at No.8 five times between 2013 and this year. It was the first time in Tests that an Indian No.8 and No.9 had faced more than 150 balls each in the same innings.
India have been well-supported throughout the Test but their fans had never been louder than on Saturday as Reddy and Washington wrestled back momentum.
The attendance of 83,073 was the largest day three crowd for a Boxing Day Test.
