Nitish Reddy stepped up for India with a gritty maiden Test fifty, lifting his team to 326/7 on Day 3 of the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). His unbeaten knock of 85, along with Washington Sundar’s 40 not out, kept India afloat before rain forced an early tea break.
The duo forged a crucial 105-run partnership for the eighth wicket, stabilizing the innings after early setbacks. Reddy displayed remarkable composure, hitting boundaries with precision, while Sundar supported him with a steady knock at the other end.
Earlier in the day, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja resumed India’s innings. However, Pant squandered a promising start. He fell to Scott Boland in the 56th over, caught for 28. Boland’s sharp delivery ensured Pant’s dismissal, leaving India vulnerable.
After Pant’s departure, Jadeja tried to anchor the innings alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy. The pair added 30 runs for the seventh wicket. However, Nathan Lyon struck for Australia, trapping Jadeja LBW for 17. This left India reeling at 221/7.
Reddy then took charge, showcasing his resilience against a formidable Australian attack. His calm and measured approach frustrated the bowlers. Sundar complemented him with patient stroke play, adding valuable runs to the total.
For Australia, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon stood out with timely breakthroughs. Boland’s control and Lyon’s spin troubled India’s middle order. Yet, the hosts failed to break the crucial Reddy-Sundar stand before the rain intervened.
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Playing XIs:
Australia
Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (WK), Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
India
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep
With Reddy inching closer to a well-deserved century, India will hope to add more runs after tea. Australia will aim to strike quickly and wrap up the innings. The match remains finely poised heading into the latter stages of Day 3.
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