In a difficult selection call for the MCG Test, Nitish Reddy showed composure and perseverance on the third afternoon, repaying the faith that the Indian management had placed in him. The all-rounder arrived at 191/6 and helped pull India out of their batting bog by adding a record eighth-wicket partnership with Washington Sundar that was worth 105* runs at the MCG. India had cut their deficit to 148 by the time an early tea break was introduced because of poor light.
Both Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy demonstrated that the conditions were closer allies of the batters with their partnership, which has now lasted 32.1 overs. Washington, who hit 40 runs off 115 balls, was the ideal counterpoint to Nitish, who reached his first Test fifty and is now only 15 runs away from his first Test century.
Nitish Reddy scored 85 at a fast pace of 71.43, although the youthful batsman hardly took any chances. After being rejected like way in Adelaide, he even fought the urge to play the ramp shot against short balls from Pat Cummins. He didn’t put it on even though he took a short ball to his glove. From the beginning, he gave Nathan Lyon the lead and played his drives against the quicks with confidence. His attempt to play a reverse sweep of pacemaker Scott Boland was the one bold moment in an otherwise restrained effort.
The dramatic circumstances of the morning period were what united them for a nice batting session. Boland and Lyon removed Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja, who were not afraid to stitch large stands themselves, putting India seven runs behind and in danger of giving up a significant first-innings lead. The ball was top-edged to Lyon at third man by Pant as he tried to move over and lap Boland over the leg side.
Lyon used a ploy straight out of his own book to remove Jadeja, who had been acting in a very restrained manner. Jadeja was caught leg before by the off-spinner, who used his lengths to hold him on the backfoot and then slid a faster one at 88 kmph. Australia’s dreams of a speedy conclusion were completely shattered after they fell to 221/7 in the 65th over. For the first time in eight Test matches, India made an opponent team take the second new ball in their opening innings with the still-unbeaten eighth-wicket stand.
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