Newbie Nitish Steals Thunder Down Under Reddy Proves Class with Ton at MCG!

Diamonds are formed in the Earth’s mantle under extreme heat and pressure – and Indian cricket discovered a sparkling diamond in Nitish Reddy on Saturday! It may be his debut series but the way he has handled pressure has made Reddy one of the superstars of the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) battle. The newbie all-rounder’s fine shows in the ongoing clash with Australia have been a revelation; and with his maiden ton at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Reddy not only saved Team India and dented Australian hopes in the Boxing Day contest but also impressed fans and experts alike.

The young Andhra batter may be just 21 but his fighting ton at the MCG reflected the maturity of a seasoned veteran. Coming in with India at 191/6, Reddy showed remarkable grit and application to push back a hostile Aussie attack.Nitish walked in after the fall of Rishabh Pant, and with Ravindra Jadeja also falling soon after, Reddy faced a tough task to help India avoid the follow-on. But in a stirring partnership with Washington Sundar, Reddy steered India to safety, avoided the follow-on and frustrated Aussie designs. The Reddy-Sundar pair took India to relative safety at a time when Australia could smell blood and was keen to go for the final kill. Though they avoided the follow on, Nitish was in danger of being stranded in the 90s as Sundar and Jasprit Bumrah fell quickly. But as Mohammed Siraj held on, Reddy finally got to his first test century which makes him the third youngest Indian to get to this milestone in Australia.

A perfect straight drive off Scott Boland took Nitish to the coveted century. What made it more memorable was the presence of his dad Muthyala Reddy at the MCG. The father-son duo share a very special relationship and those who know the Reddys well attribute much of Nitish’s success to the support of his father. A decade ago, when dad Muthyala left a secure job to open a microfinance business and incurred losses, the Reddys were advised not to encourage young Nitish’s cricketing dreams but they were unrelenting. When Nitish got his hundred, his father broke down in tears over terrific achievement! The legendary Sunil Gavaskar also gave his stamp of approval for young Nitish’s ton under trying circumstances.

Besides giving a standing ovation to the youngster, Gavaskar asserted, “This century by Nitish Reddy must rank as one of the greatest hundreds in the history of Indian cricket.” The century at the MCG, however, has only capped an outstandingly consistent series for debutant Reddy. While his scores of 41, 38 not out, 42, 42, and 16 before the fourth Test at Melbourne may seem modest, his contributions have been vital and most timely all through the series. Given his grit and flair,Reddy has rapidly emerged as a key player for India. Besides the runs he has scored, the composure and tactical acumen that Reddy has displayed have been truly impressive. Even the scores of around 40 that he was making earlier had underlined his maturity and cricketing intelligence. His skill at getting ones and twos speaks a lot about his cricketing awareness.

It’s a quality that rarely gets noticed but in Test cricket, the talent to rotate the strike effectively and keep the scoreboard ticking is a critical ability – and Reddy has it in abundance. Beyond batting is Reddy’s steady bowling. His ability to bowl wicket-towicket makes him a special asset for his skipper. While he may not deliver at express pace, his precision and tight line make him effective, especially on low-and-slow pitches. If he can hone his skills for shorter formats, his ability to be an economical bowler while maintaining pressure could make him a valuable asset in White ball cricket. Not surprisingly, many already say Reddy will be a special weapon in India’s bowling armoury on the England trip next year. Given his all-round prowess, some believe that Reddy offers a genuine alternative to Hardik Pandya. In tests he now seems a better bet to injury-prone Pandya. If he can carry his form in Tests into white ball cricket, Reddy clearly has a great future in all formats.

His growing ability with bat and ball, combined with his tactical astuteness makes Reddy a player with a future in all formats. Irrespective of what happens in the remaining days at the MCG or in the final test at Sydney, Reddy has definitely emerged as the ‘Find of the Season’ for Team India. If his mettle so far is any indication, Reddy seems ready for a long, lustrous career in the top tier of international cricket!

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Siddhaarth Mahan, The writer is a specialist on Sports and Cinema who works as an actor in the Hindi film industry