Subhayan Chakraborty in Melbourne
Test cricket was at its best on Day 4 in Melbourne, as the game ebbed and flowed, leaving both teams pondering the potential outcome. The Indian team fought back hard, thanks to a brilliant spell from Jasprit Bumrah, but Nathan Lyon (41 not out) and Scott Boland (10 not out) stitched together an unbroken 55-run partnership off 110 balls for the last wicket, helping Australia take a lead of 333 at stumps and frustrating the visitors to the core.
Although Nitish Kumar Reddy has been the star for the Indian team with his magnificent century on Day 3, Bumrah was at his best again, picking up four wickets in 24 overs. Mohammed Siraj was also in fine form, bagging three wickets to regain some form after a lackluster series so far. At a time when India thought they might limit the target to under 300 after Bumrah dismissed Travis Head (1), Mitchell Marsh (0) and Alex Carey (2), Pat Cummins contributed 41 before the Lyon-Boland partnership and brought the hosts back into the driver’s seat. It’s only the second time in Test history that a 10th-wicket partnership has faced more than 50 deliveries in each innings of a match. With over 300 runs on the board, Australia will regain the self-belief that they won’t allow India to win this game, although, theoretically, all three results are still possible.
Reddy, however, remains the talk of the cricketing world. “I feel so happy that my first century came with my father here. Representing my country is a special moment for me. I helped my team in a difficult situation to fight back strongly, so that was a special century for both me and my father,” he told reporters.
With the pitch not doing much, India would be confident of at least securing a draw, if not a win, which would be a remarkable achievement considering Australia’s dominance in the first innings with a score of 474. “I think everyone is capable of playing on this pitch,” Reddy said. “No one is incapable of playing, and we will come back strong with the bat. We will rectify the mistakes from the first innings in our second innings, correct them, and plan accordingly after taking the last wicket.”
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Reddy has been India’s best batter in the series, being the highest scorer for the visitors with 293 runs at an impressive average of 58.60 – the best in the series. In Perth, he was at the crease with his idol Virat Kohli when the latter completed his hundred, which Reddy described as a dream come true on social media. At the end of Day 4 at the MCG, the entire team, including Kohli, gave him a standing ovation for his achievement.
“It was such a great, grateful moment for me. I have been watching Virat bhai since childhood, idolising him, and now I have played alongside him. He scored a hundred with me at the non-striker’s end, which made me so happy, and now, with my century, he appreciated me. He came up to me and said, ‘You really played well, you got the team back in the game,’ and that made me feel incredibly happy. I always dreamed of this moment, and when he spoke to me, that was the best moment for me,” Reddy said. “I know some people doubted me, saying a youngster from the IPL couldn’t perform in such a big series, but I wanted to prove them wrong, and that’s what I’m doing. I want people to know I’m here to give 100 per cent for the Indian team,” he commented.
With the series tied at 1-1 and all three results possible on Day 5 of the Boxing Day Test, which has already attracted a total attendance of 299,329 – the largest crowd for a Boxing Day Test – this format is at its peak. As Marnus Labuschagne noted: “Who says Test cricket isn’t exciting!”
Also Read: India’s Missed Chances Leave Australia in Command with 333-Run Lead