New to the International cricket, Nitish Kumar Reddy turned heads and cracked a phenomenal century to rescue India from a precarious position on Day 3 of the fourth Test against Australia on December 28. Even Australia's star pacer Scott Boland couldn't stop himself from heaping praise on MCG Test hero Nitish Kumar Reddy. Boland was particularly impressed by Reddy's wide array of shots, acknowledging his exceptional batting prowess.
Nitish Kumar Reddy's heroic century in MCG Test
Nitish Reddy has been a standout performer for India in this Test match. His key contribution with the bat have been instrumental in India's strong comeback after facing a period of dominance from the Australian side over the past two days.
Reddy took the crease at a critical juncture when India suffered a batting collapse. Despite the palpable pressure, he displayed remained composed, and took the onus on himself and rallied India from a precarious position of 159/5 to 358/9 at the end of the Day 3's play.
The star all-rounder stitched a crucial 127-run partnership with Washington Sundar (50), to frustrate Australian bowlers and bolster India's position in the match. Reddy exhibited exceptional discipline throughout his innings, meticulously punishing any loose deliveries.
Having been dismissed in his 40s in recent matches, Nitish ensured that his maiden Test half-century was a memorable one.
Scott Boland heaps praise on Nitish Kumar Reddy
The highlight of Nitish Reddy's innings was his masterful handling of the Australia pacers particularly Scott Boland, who was proving to be a big threat for India batters. Reddy eventually completed his maiden Test century with a spectacular lofted drive against Boland.
Nitish Reddy concluded the Day 2's play with an unbeaten on 105 runs from 176 balls which was decorated with 10 fours and a six. However, fading light forced an early stumps, leaving Reddy eager to continue his strong performance on Day 4 and further reduce India's substantial deficit of 116 runs. Meanwhile, Boland showered praise on Reddy, stressing on the all-rounder's ability to score runs all around the ground. He lauded Reddy for consistently performing at his best in the challenging Australian conditions.
"He has got, I've played the A game against him, the PM's game and then a couple of Tests and you see he can score all around the ground. He's obviously a very nice player and does well in the IPL and he's doing well here in Australian conditions as well. It looks like he's got pretty much every shot in the book," Boland told reporters.