After having given necessary stability to a new hesitant performance from the Indian team, the young 21-year-old player will take up the torch on Sunday alongside Mohammed Siraj, with a deficit reduced to 116 runs for the first innings.
Australia’s momentum, which had scored 474 runs, was dampened by Reddy and spin specialist all-rounder Washington Sundar, who scored 50 runs, with the two players putting together a partnership of 127 runs for the eighth wicket.
To the cheers of a large contingent of Indian fans in a record crowd of 83,073 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Reddy sent a ball from Scott Boland over the outfield to reach triple figures just before the interruption of play.
This round was marked by resolute defense, mixed with a classic striking game. Reddy faced 176 balls, hitting 10 fours and a six, continuing his fine batting form that has characterized him since the start of his series.
In his first six innings, he accumulated 284 runs at an average of 71. Boland, with statistics of 3/57, and Pat Cummins, with 3/86, were the most effective Australian bowlers, despite unfavorable conditions despite cloudy skies.
Sundar’s return resulted in a tenacious 162-ball performance, which ended when he was caught at first slip by Steve Smith on a spin delivery from Nathan Lyon.
This partnership totally dominated the second session after India went from 164/5 to 244/7 at the lunch break. Sundar survived an anthological moment when he was 18.
While attempting to play a ball headed towards Mitchell Starc’s left side, the ball bounced off the back of the bat to land in the slip field, where Smith missed a one-handed chance.
India lost Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja in the first session. Pant’s innings of 28 runs came to an end when he lost his balance while attempting a risky shot for six off Boland, the ball being caught by Lyon at third over.
Jadeja was trapped lbw at 17 runs on a delivery from Lyon which spun. The crowd of 83,073 is a record for the third day of a Boxing Day Test, according to Cricket Australia, and is the largest attendance at the MCG for a day three since 1937.
The record attendance total for a Boxing Day Test is 271,865, which is expected to be well surpassed on Sunday after 255,462 spectators passed through the gates on the first three days.
Rain threatened throughout the day, and around 40 minutes of play was lost during the tea break. The series is currently tied 1-1, with the fifth and final Test taking place in Sydney next week.
The encounter highlights not only the determination of the players but also the growing intensity of this series, which is sure to captivate cricket fans. What strategies will the teams adopt in the final test to try to gain an advantage? The next step could well determine the outcome of this exciting competition.
Our editors use AI to help them deliver fresh items from trusted sources to our users. If you find any image or content that is inappropriate, please contact us via DMCA form and we will promptly remove it. / Our editors use AI to help them offer our readers fresh articles from reliable sources. If you find an image or content inappropriate, please contact us via the DMCA form and we’ll remove it promptly.
Canada
