December 28, 2024: Washington Sundar’s praise for his teammate Nitish Kumar Reddy was the highlight of the post-day press conference following Day 3 of the fourth Border-Gavaskar Test in Melbourne.
Despite India’s challenging position at 221/7, Sundar and Reddy’s remarkable 127-run partnership helped the team fight back and end the day on a more positive note at 358/9. Sundar, who contributed a valuable half-century off 162 balls before being dismissed by Nathan Lyon, emphasized the team’s resilience and fighting spirit, which has been instilled in them by senior players like Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir, as well as the support staff.
Sundar said, “One thing, especially with Rohit Bhai and Gauti Bhai and all the support staff, they keep telling us to fight no matter what, and I think that’s something that has been instilled in us, in all of us, no matter what situation we are in, we will just fight no matter what.” This fighting attitude, he believes, is crucial, especially in a high-stakes match against Australia on a ground like the MCG, during the iconic Boxing Day Test.
The day was indeed significant for Reddy, who scored an exceptional century, finishing unbeaten on 105* off 176 balls. His knock included 10 boundaries and one six, maintaining a strike rate of 59.66. Reddy’s century was particularly historic as he became the third youngest Indian to score a maiden Test century in Australia, following cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and Rishabh Pant. At 21 years and 216 days, Reddy joined this elite group, with Tendulkar having achieved his first century at 18 years and 256 days in 1992, and Pant doing so at 21 years and 92 days in 2019. Reddy’s feat was a standout moment in a day that had been filled with challenges for India.
Sundar also acknowledged the importance of Reddy’s achievement, adding, “I think the day was definitely good today, very, very happy for Nitish, got an unbelievable 100 honestly, I’m sure this will be remembered forever.” Reddy’s performance was a crucial lifeline for India, keeping them in contention as they trail Australia by 116 runs with just one wicket remaining.
The Australian bowlers had their moments too, with Pat Cummins and Scott Boland each picking up three wickets, while Nathan Lyon claimed two. However, due to bad light and rain, early stumps were called, with Reddy and Mohammed Siraj (2*) set to resume their innings on Sunday.
The fight shown by Sundar, Reddy, and the rest of the Indian team, even in the face of adversity, has set up an intriguing continuation of the match. With India still in the game, it will be fascinating to see how they progress on Day 4.