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Remarkable Reddy century gives India hope in Boxing Day Test

Two of the youngest members of India's touring party put on a batting clinic as the visitors worked their way back into the match on the third day in Melbourne.

By Jonathan Healy at the MCG

A maiden Test century from Nitish Kumar Reddy and an equally important half-century by Washington Sundar has brought new life into the Boxing Day Test as India fought back hard against Australia on the third day of an enthralling contest in Melbourne.

Reddy batted superbly to reach 105* as poor light and rain at the MCG saw an early stumps drawn with India at 358/9 and still trailing by 116 runs in response to Australia's 474.

It looked like Reddy was going to cruise to his century when Sundar was alongside him, but his dismissal and the loss of Jasprit Bumrah for a duck saw Mohammed Siraj (2*) come to the crease with his partner still one short of his first Test century.

But Siraj survived a few nervy deliveries from Australian captain Pat Cummins (3/86) and Reddy found the boundary in the ensuing over to bring up three figures and further reduce India's deficit.

Reddy's innings gives hope to India with two days remaining in the crucial ICC World Test Championship contest, with all results still possible as the two combatants chase a spot at next year's one-off Final at Lord's.

Reddy and Sundar batted sensibly to combine for a partnership of 127 as Australia's bowlers toiled hard for little reward on a cooler day in Melbourne.

Only four wickets fell on a day that belonged to Reddy and India, with Rishabh Pant (28) and Ravindra Jadeja (17) dismissed during the morning session as Australia went in search of breakthroughs.

Reddy and Sundar steadied the ship to give India some hope, with the Test and series still up for grabs heading into the final two days in Melbourne.

On top of bragging rights for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with the series locked at 1-1, the two teams are also in the race for spots in the World Test Championship Final at Lord's in June 2025.

Australia sit in second (58.89% of possible points) and India in third (55.88% of possible points), with table-toppers South Africa (63.33%) currently taking on Pakistan in Centurion.

World Test Championship Standings

Australia: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep

ICC World Test ChampionshipICC World Test Championship 23-25News