On the third day of the fourth Test between Australia and India, Nitish Kumar Reddy emerged as India’s savior. He stitched a vital 127-run partnership with Washington Sundar and brought up his maiden Test century by the end of the day. A little bit of the credit for his milestone should also go to Mohammed Siraj.
Mohammed Siraj receives a loud cheer for a Defence
Nitish Reddy was at the non-striker’s end when India lost their ninth wicket in the form of Jasprit Bumrah. It was now up to Mohammed Siraj to survive three deliveries and ensure Reddy could take the strike in the next over.
Pat Cummins started with a brilliant length ball, which Siraj tried to defend but missed. Fortunately, there was no edge. The second ball was a bouncer, which Siraj ducked under safely. On the third delivery, the Indian No.11 played a solid defence, drawing loud cheers from the MCG crowd.
Nitish Reddy, from the other end, gave Siraj a thumbs-up to show his appreciation. Siraj’s simple batting performance once again sparked humorous comparisons to Vivian Richards on social media. During the series against Sri Lanka, Siraj had shown a touch of swagger while batting, reminiscent of the West Indies legend, which had prompted netizens to jokingly draw parallels between the two.
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In the very next over, Nitish Reddy struck a boundary to bring up his maiden Test century for India. The situation in which the 21-year-old all-rounder played this innings is truly commendable. Praising Reddy’s knock, Sunil Gavaskar remarked that this innings is one of the greatest hundreds in Indian cricket history.
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With this, Nitish Reddy became the third-youngest Indian player to score a Test hundred in Australia, after Sachin Tendulkar (18) and Rishabh Pant (21). Nitish Reddy and Mohammed Siraj will resume as India’s final pair on the fourth day, with Reddy on 105. If the duo can add another 30-40 runs, it would be a vital contribution. Currently, India trails by 116 runs, and every single run from here will be crucial.
