Nitish Kumar Reddy sets new milestones with record-breaking century at MCG against Australia

New Delhi: Nitish Kumar Reddy achieved multiple milestones with his remarkable century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on the third day of the fourth 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Test on Saturday. Reddy scored his first-ever Test century — an unbeaten 105 off 176 balls — marking his highest score in the format. He partnered with Washington Sundar to steer the team’s recovery from a challenging 191/6 to 358/9 in their pursuit of Australia’s first innings total of 474, keeping India in contention for the match.

His triumphant celebrations, along with the visibly emotional reaction from his father, appeared to reignite a sense of determination and resilience in the Indian dressing room. It also seemed to calm the MCG crowd, which had been becoming more hostile towards the Indian team.

The young all-rounder emerged as the top run-scorer of the series. Along with the recognition, he bought valuable time for the coaching staff led by Gautam Gambhir, who had been facing criticism for India’s earlier performances in the test.

As a result of his outstanding performance, Reddy achieved several notable personal records. Here are three of them:

3. Highest Score For A Number Eight Or Lower At MCG
For those new to the sport, it might be tough to grasp why centuries at the MCG Test are so significant, despite the pitch being easier than other Australian venues. The factors behind this are largely external—Boxing Day Tests attract massive crowds, and the sheer size of the ground can make players feel dwarfed, almost as if they’re in a gladiator arena.

Reddy’s century stands out even more because it came from the challenging position of number eight, as the last recognized batter for India. With his knock of 105, he now holds the record for the highest Test score by a player batting at number eight or lower at the MCG.

Reddy has surpassed the 122-year-old record of 104 set by Australian Reginald Alexander Duff against England. Only two other players — Australia’s JM Gregory and RR Lindwall, who both made scores of 100 in 1920 and 1947, respectively — have reached three figures while batting lower than number eight at the MCG. Specifically for the number eight spot, the previous record was held by Mitchell Johnson, who scored an unbeaten 92 against Sri Lanka in 2012.

2. Highest Score For A Number 8 Or Lower For India In Australia
Reddy’s achievement extends beyond the MCG. His 105 is now the highest score by an Indian batter at number eight or lower in any Test in Australia. The previous record was held by Anil Kumble, who scored 87 in Adelaide while captaining India during the memorable 2008 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Other players like Ravindra Jadeja, Kiran More, Shardul Thakur, and Ravichandran Ashwin have scored fifties while batting in the lower order in Australia, but Reddy’s century is the first of its kind.

Reddy’s total of 200 runs while batting at number eight or lower in Tests is now the fourth-highest for India, trailing only Ashwin, Kumble, and Manoj Prabhakar. He may be moved up to the top six after this series, but by then, the talented cricketer from Telangana is likely to have surpassed this milestone.

1. Nitish Kumar Reddy Is The Youngest Boxing Day Test Centurion For India
Let’s not overlook that Reddy is only 21 years old, despite his remarkable maturity. His age itself adds to the significance of his achievement. At 21 years and 216 days, he became the third-youngest player from India to score a Test century in Australia.

Focusing on the prestigious Boxing Day Test, Reddy now holds the title of the youngest Indian to score a century in this iconic match. The previous record was held by Virender Sehwag, who achieved the feat at 25 years and 67 days in 2003 with a brilliant 195 (233). Sachin Tendulkar did so at 25 years and 246 days, while Virat Kohli was 26 years and 51 days old when he reached the milestone.

Reddy has also set a new benchmark as the youngest non-Australian to score a century while batting at number eight or lower, surpassing Matt Prior of England, who was 28 years and 311 days old when he made the record in 2011.