WATCH: Nitish Kumar Reddy reverse scoops Scott Boland for SIX on Day 1 of Pink Ball Test
Team India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy continued his good work with the bat in just his second Test match appearance, top-scoring with 42 off 54 balls with three sixes and three fours as Indians were bowled out for 180 after electing to bat first on Day 1 of the ‘Pink Ball’ Test at the Adelaide Oval on Friday. Reddy came to bat with Indian innings in disarray at 87 for 5 after dismissal of skipper Rohit Sharma for 3.
The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batter went for the aggressive route and hit a couple of remarkable sixes off top Australian pacers Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland on the opening day. With the ball jagging around all over the place, Reddy stunned the Australian bowlers with his clean hitting after the 8th Indian wicket had fallen for 141.
Reddy first smashed Mitchell Starc over the covers for six and then reverse scooped Boland over third man for another remarkable maximum. The SRH all-rounder’s big-hitting helped the Indians put on crucial 35 runs for the 8th wicket with Jasprit Bumrah in which the latter’s contribution was 0.
WATCH Nitish Kumar Reddy reverse scoop Scott Boland for six…
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Meanwhile, a six-wicket haul from Starc helped Australia defy brief periods of fightback by Indian stars KL Rahul, Shubman Gill and Reddy as the visitors were skittled out for 180 at the end of second session on Day 1. Nitish (42) being the top run-getter for India. However, Starc (6/48) dismantled India with a memorable six-fer, adding yet another accomplishment to his envious pink-ball Test resume.
The Indian captain struggled against Aussie bowling attack and was trapped leg-before-wicket by Scott Boland for a struggle-filled three runs in 23 balls. India was 87/5 in 25.5 overs.
Pant was joined by Nitish Kumar Reddy, who had notched scores of 41 and 38 not out in the Perth Test and won hearts of many with his aggressive hitting. India reached the 100-run mark in 30.4 overs, thanks to a fine boundary towards mid-off by Nitish.
In the 33rd over, Pant was dismissed by skipper Pat Cummins, who removed him for 21 in 35 balls. Pant could not face the awkwardly high amount of bounce and Marnus Labuschagne caught him at wide gully as he tried to defend himself. India was 109/6 in 32.5 overs.