Ind vs Aus 4th Test: Nitish Reddy scores maiden century, his father’s priceless reaction goes viral

Bhubaneswar: Cometh the hour, cometh the man! Nitish Kumar Reddy announced his arrival in Test cricket in style, scoring his maiden century at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. Walking in under pressure, Nitish, alongside Washington Sundar, stitched a crucial partnership that pulled India out of trouble. 21-year-old Reddy also became the third-youngest Indian to score a Test hundred.

Nitish’s father, his unwavering pillar of support, became emotional as his son reached the milestone. The moment captured hearts and quickly went viral, showcasing the sacrifices behind Nitish’s remarkable journey.

“To be honest, I wasn’t serious about cricket when I was young. My father left his job for me and made many sacrifices. I still remember seeing him cry because of our financial struggles. That moment changed me. I decided to work hard and repay his efforts,” Nitish had said during an Interview.

“As a middle-class son, I’m proud to see my father happy now. I gave him my first jersey, and the joy on his face made me prouder than anything else,” he added.

Nitish shot to fame during the 2024 IPL where he amassed 303 runs at a strike rate of 142.92 for Sunrisers Hyderabad, earning the Emerging Player of the Year award. This breakthrough season paved the way for his debut in both Test and T20I cricket.

In the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Nitish has been India’s standout performer, accumulating 284 runs, the highest for the team in the series. His rise from overcoming financial hardships to becoming one of India’s most promising young talents is nothing short of inspirational.

In response, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar heaped massive praise on the young all-rounder. According to the former great, Reddy impressed him right from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener in Perth.

“A knock to remember by Nitish. He has impressed me right from the 1st Test, and his composure and temperament have been on display right through. Today, he took it a notch higher to play a crucial innings in this series. Wonderfully and ably supported by @Sundarwashi5 as well. Well played,” Sachin Tendulkar wrote on his social media account X (earlier known as Twitter).

Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri also heaped praise on Nitish. “An innings to remember by one and all. For a 21 year old to exhibit that kind of character under pressure brought tears to ones eyes. Pure Gold. Well played, young man. God bless,” wrote Shastri on X.

Notably, India were 358/9, still trailing by 116 runs. Reddy and Mohammed Siraj will resume proceedings for India on Day four of the Boxing Day Test.