NEWS
Follow UsNitish Kumar Reddy stole the limelight on Day three of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne with a sublime hundred that brought India back into the game. He put on 127 for the seventh wicket with Washington Sundar, helping India close in on Australia's total.
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Scott Boland, who has been the pick of the Australian bowlers with figures of 3/57 so far, feels that the 21-year-old Reddy has every shot in the book.
"I've played the A game against him and a couple of Tests. He can score all around the ground," Boland told the reporters after day three.
"He is obviously a very nice player and does well in the IPL and is doing well in the Australian conditions as well. Looks like he has got every shot in the book. He is playing really nicely. Coming down in the lower order, he is trying to put the pressure back on us. A young guy from India who has come through and strikes the ball really well.”
Despite India clawing their way back into the game, Boland still believes Australia have the upper hand in the Test with two more days left.
“We are leading by 116 runs and in a pretty strong position. It could have been better, but that’s how Tests are, ebbs and flows. Hopefully, tomorrow, we get that wicket and then put on a nice lead," he said.
Will spin play a huge factor over the next two days? Boland, who plays his domestic cricket at MCG, feels there will not be much turn but is hopeful.
"I don't think it's going to spin too much. It has a decent amount of grass out there. I definitely hope that it spins a lot more," the 35-year-old pacer said.
"Hopefully, there will be some variable bounce. Just as Test match wickets get a bit more tired, that'd be ideal for us as a bowling group."
Nitish is still batting at 105 and has Mohammed Siraj for company at the other end. India will resume day four of the Test at 358/9 and hope to get as close as possible to Australia's 474.
