India vs Australia LIVE Cricket Score, 4th Test Day 4: Nitish Kumar Reddy hundred keeps hopes alive for IND; AUS lead by 116 at MCG – The Indian Express

IND vs AUS 4th Test Day 4, Live Score: A thrilling Nitish Kumar Reddy century has kept India in the hunt to fight for a draw or even better when play resumes on Day 4 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
When India needed a sizeable knock the most, Reddy sprang up to produced his Test knock yet on the tour to save his side the blushes. After losing Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja early on in the day, Nitish forged a record partnership for the eighth with a stoic Washington Sundar to reduced Australia’s lead from 311 to 116 before stumps on Saturday.
The emotionally charged century in the presence of his family meant even had the Aussie crowd rooting for young Nitish. Australia’s confidence is likely to have shaken after Nitish’s century and things are interestingly poised as they bid to fight for a win to end the calendar year.
Follow India vs Australia Boxing Day Test Day 4 live score and updates below
Nitish Kumar Reddy’s father Mutyala nervously watched from the stands as his son edged through the nervous 90s, before wiping away tears of joy as he was mobbed by well-wishers in the MCG crowd.
“For our family, it’s a special day and we cannot forget this day in our life . . . he has been performing well since the age group of 14-15, and now in international cricket, it’s a very special feeling,” Mutyala told hindustantimes.com.
“I was very tense. Only the last wicket was remaining. Thankfully Siraj managed to survive.”
The Indian Express’ Sriram Veera, Vinayakk Mohanarangan and Mihir Vasavda look back at the young batsman’s maiden Test century that has given India a fighting chance to save the Test match. Hop in to listen to our podcast.

At stumps on Saturday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, India (358-9) still trailed Australia (474) by 116 runs on the first innings, but it could have been much worse.
Reddy, playing in just his fourth test and batting at No. 8, rescued India from a shaky 221-7, sharing a 127-run partnership with Washington Sundar (50).
The pair fell two runs shy of equaling the record for an eighth-wicket partnership for India versus Australia of 129 which was set by Harbhajan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2008.
Speaking to Channel 7 on Friday morning, Australian teenager Sam Konstas revealed exactly what goes through his mind when he is facing up to the bowler.
“I’m not too sure what the squint is about … I’m trying to get my right eye to the bowler and what I’m saying is ‘Where’s the ball? Where’s the ball?’ Just so I can react and not premeditate,” he told Channel 7.
“But obviously certain shots I’m premeditating.
“For me, yeah, just trying to be in that zone and trying to do that every ball and keep that consistent.”
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Day 4 of the fourth Test match between Australia and India, played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne. Nitish Kumar Redd’s maiden Test ton has kept India in the hunt but the tourists are still trailing by 116 runs with the last wicket at the crease. Stay tuned for all the live updates. 
Nitish Reddy’s ‘very, very special’ ton unites bickering, cricket-mad nations

Tension was a perfect emotion to not just describe the state of India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy’s family but that of all the cricket fans glued to the television watching a 21-year-old pull off something special at a frenetic Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Boxing Day Test on Saturday. (Read More as Sriram Veera captures the essence of Nitish’s breathtaking ton)

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