After the Indian batting line-up struggled against the formidable Australians, a glimmer of hope was provided by debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy, who secured his maiden Test century.
Following the containment of the hosts to 474 in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test, the Indian team made a promising start. However, a series of wickets were lost, and by Day 2, five players had been dismissed.
A solid partnership of 100 runs was formed, with Reddy remaining steadfast at the crease and completing his century off 171 balls. The milestone was reached in a dramatic fashion, as a boundary was struck off Scott Boland’s delivery over mid-on, just after the dismissal of Jasprit Bumrah. With Mohammed Siraj remaining as the final batter, Reddy, on 99, experienced tense moments before finally achieving the century, with his proud father watching from the stands.

As light rapidly faded, attention was drawn to the umpire’s decision.
When Reddy came to the crease, India was in trouble at 191/6, facing the prospect of a follow-on. Alongside Washington Sundar, the follow-on was avoided, and the day concluded with India at 358/9 at stumps on Day 3.
The third day began with India in a vulnerable position, having lost three wickets in the final 20 minutes of Day 2, leaving them at 164/5. Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant were unable to bat for as long as required in the morning.
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