Melbourne, December 28: A vital 105-run partnership between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar helped India mount a strong fightback against Australia in the ongoing Melbourne Test on Day 3 of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
At Tea on Day 3, India stood at 326/7, with Reddy (85*) and Sundar (40*) unbeaten at the crease, trailing Australia by 148 runs. The duo’s solid performance brought India back into the contest after Australia had been in control of the match.
India resumed the second session at 244/7 and added 82 runs without losing a wicket in 24 overs. The two middle-order batters showed resilience, determined to stabilize the innings and build a competitive total.
In the early stages of the session, Steve Smith missed a chance to dismiss Sundar, as the ball edged off his bat but was dropped by the Australian captain at second slip, a mistake he may regret later.
In the 83rd over, Reddy lofted the ball through the vacant point region for a four to bring up his maiden Test fifty. This milestone helped the young batter gain confidence and continue to add valuable runs for India. By the 84th over, India had avoided the follow-on, much to their relief. In the 92nd over, they crossed the 300-run mark, thanks to the steadfast partnership between Reddy and Sundar.
While the conditions in Melbourne deteriorated with drizzling rain, prompting an early Tea break, Reddy was nearing his maiden Test century and will be eager to continue his innings and boost India’s position.
Earlier in the day, India began the first session at 164/5, with Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease. Despite building a partnership, India struggled against the Australian bowlers. Two run-out chances arose due to miscommunication between Pant and Jadeja, but Australia failed to capitalize.
Scott Boland continued his excellent performance, dismissing Pant for 28 runs in the 56th over. Nitish Kumar Reddy replaced Pant at the crease and joined Jadeja. However, Jadeja was dismissed by Nathan Lyon for 17 runs in the 65th over, and Sundar came in to join Reddy.
In the final 10 overs of the session, India added 30 runs, while Australia claimed one wicket.
Brief Scores: Australia: 474 (Steve Smith 140, Marnus Labuschagne 72, Jasprit Bumrah 4/99)
India: 326/7 (Washington Sundar 40*, Nitish Kumar Reddy 85*, Scott Boland 3/49)