MELBOURNE: For a brief moment, there was a look of despair on Nitish Kumar Reddy's face. Off the last ball of the 113th over, the right-hander had run two to get to 99 but lost the strike. As he was midway through the second, he put his hand on his helmet, as if regretting the momentary lapse of awareness. It was one of the few mistakes he made all day, perhaps the only one.
It meant that Jasprit Bumrah would be on strike against Pat Cummins to start the next over. And his worst fears were realised when the Indian pacer was dismissed off the third ball of the over. That look on Reddy's face came immediately after that wicket. He was still on 99 and last man Mohammed Siraj was coming in to bat.
As Siraj made his way to the middle, accompanied by a cacophony of boos around the Melbourne Cricket Ground, many in the stadium had started praying because if there was anyone who deserved a century, it was Reddy - he could not be stranded on 99. Not him.
The fourth ball of the over beat Siraj and skimmed past his edge. The fifth was a bouncer and he ducked. The final delivery was full and straight. Siraj defended it and the crowd went absolutely mad. It was the loudest they had been all day.
Soon, Reddy gave them an opportunity to top that though when he hit the third ball of the next over from Scott Boland for four to reach a memorable ton. Reddy's dad, Mutalya, watching from the stands, was in tears. So were so many others. This was the stuff dreams are made of.
Australia had come into the day expecting India to fight but also hoping that maybe by tea they would be having another go at the Indian bowlers. But at close of play on Day 3, India had made their way to a gritty 358/9- still trailing by 116 runs.
Two youngsters, the 21-year-old Reddy (105* - 176 balls, 10x4, 1x6) and the 25-year-old Washington Sundar (50 off 162 balls), had defied the odds with a 127-run partnership that helped the visitors claw back into the match.
Denne historien er fra December 29, 2024-utgaven av Hindustan Times Gurugram.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 29, 2024-utgaven av Hindustan Times Gurugram.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
DSP: I was prepared for Kissik and Oo Antava comparisons
As long as you don't let success get to your head, you are not bothered by the outcome,\" says composer Devi Sri Prasad, also known as DSP, who is pleased with the reception of his music for Pushpa 2: The Rule.
Sparks of Trouble for Coldplay Gujarat gig!
Ahead of its highly anticipated India tour, British rock band Coldplay is making headlines again!
Aubrey's husband, director Jeff Baena, dies by suicide
Actor-comedian Aubrey Plaza is mourning the loss of her husband, director Jeff Baena, who died at the age of 47.
Rohit and Virat still have the hunger, says Gambhir
No one in the team will say it, but they are all surely thinking it.
Lebrun brothers, the French connection in Thakkar's rise
Manav Thakkar, India's No.2 male paddler, noticed how the Lebrun brothers, the French siblings who have taken the table tennis world by storm, would \"invent stuff\" after training sessions even as the others would wind down.
HIL route to making India return
Many sidelined from the national squad have bounced back via the league, Rohidas being a shining example
Shooter Saurabh rediscovers his touch at Nationals
For five years from 2018, Saurabh Chaudhary would hold his Morini pistol so steady and shoot with such precision that it was assumed the prodigiously talented youngster would win an Olympic medal for India.
SBI Steps Up Heat With Large Collateral-Free Study Loans
India's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has begun offering collateral-free study loans of up to ₹50 lakh for students heading to top foreign universities, entering an arena dominated by top private lenders.
Guj, Andhra, Delhi Shine As Key Performers In Logistics
Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Delhi have been identified as leading performers in India's logistics sector, according to a new report.
Foxconn Sees Record Revenue on AI Demand
Taiwan's Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics maker, beat expectations to post its highest-ever revenue for the fourth quarter on continued strong demand for artificial intelligence (AI) servers.
