Nitish Kumar Reddy Joins Virat Kohli In Elite List After Scoring Century In Boxing Day Test At MCG

Last Updated:December 28, 2024, 14:27 IST

IND vs AUS 4th Test: Nitish Kumar Reddy joins Virat Kohli in an elite list of Indian batters on Saturday after scoring a century in the ongoing Boxing Day Test against Australia at MCG.

Nitish Kumar Reddy joins Virat Kohli in elite list of Indian batters after scoring century in Boxing Day Test at MCG. (Picture Credit: AP, AFP)

India vs Australia, 4th Test: Young Indian batting all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy joined his idol Virat Kohli in an elite list of Indian batters on Saturday, December 28. By scoring his maiden Test century in the ongoing Boxing Day Test between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the 21-year-old right-handed batter from Andhra Pradesh entered his name in history books. The Sunrisers Hyderabad star, who is playing his fourth Test for India these days, became the fifth batter to score a century in the Boxing Day Test for India at the MCG.

Former world No. 1 Test batter and legendary opener Virender Sehwag was the first Indian to score a century in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. Sehwag hammered 195 runs from 225 balls for the Sourav Ganguly-led side in 2003. Virat scored 169 runs in the 2014 Boxing Day Test played at the same venue. In that match, Ajinkya Rahane also scored 147 runs.

Cheteshwar Pujara joined the elite list in 2018 by scoring 106 runs from 319 balls for Virat Kohli & Co. In the last Boxing Day Test (December 2020) played by India at MCG, Rahane again scored a century for India. He is the only Indian batter to score two centuries in the Boxing Day Test at the iconic stadium in Melbourne.

Reddy, who crossed the triple-figure mark with a four on the 171st ball he faced during his stay at the crease on Saturday, is overall the 10th Indian batter to score a century in the Boxing Day Test. Dilip Vengsarkar was the first Indian to score a century in a Test match that starts a day after Christmas. He was followed by Kapil Dev, Mohammad Azharuddin, Sachin Tendulkar, Sehwag, Kohli, Rahane, Pujara, and KL Rahul.

Indians to score century in Boxing Day Test

The century by Reddy on Saturday has made him the ninth Indian batter after Vinoo Mankad, Sunil Gavaskar, Gundappa Viswanath, Tendulkar, Sehwag, Kohli, Rahane, and Pujara to cross the triple-figure mark in a Test match played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Indians to score Test century at Melbourne Cricket Ground

During his stay at the crease so far, Reddy has hammered 10 fours and one six. He added more than 127 runs for the eighth wicket with Washington Sundar (50 runs from 162 balls).