‘Nitish Reddy’s first-class average is 22’: Sanjay Manjrekar marvels at youngster’s knock | Cricket news

Sanjay Manjrekar and Nitish Reddy (Agency Photos)

NEW DELHI: Team India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy‘s maiden Test hundred on the third day of the fourth Test against Australia captivated cricket circles, with his determined knock drawing high praise from former Indian internationals.
Reddy came into bat at a precarious 191/6 and produced a remarkable unbeaten 105 off 176 deliveries, guiding India to 358/9 at stumps, just 116 runs behind Australia’s formidable first-innings total of 474.
Reddy’s partnership with Washington Sundar, worth 127 runs for the eighth wicket, proved instrumental in India not only avoiding the follow-on but also clawing their way back into contention.
READ: ‘I also believe in Siraj bhai’: Nitish Reddy credits India’s No.11 for crucial role in maiden century.
Speaking on Star Sports, former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar expressed his admiration for Reddy’s innings and wondered how a player with a modest first-class average of 22 could display such maturity and skill on the big stage.
“Both (Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy) play T20 cricket. Actually Nitish was retained in IPL by his franchise but hungry for test cricket is still alive. Today, after the break, he scored 22 runs in 16 overs and he knew he cannot afford to lose his wicket. The way he left the ball, when I see these things in modern day cricketers, I feel Indian cricket is in safe hands,” remarked Manjrekar.
“Test cricket always seems like an old-fashioned format and our new-fangled boys crave for Test match success. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar and now Nitish Kumar Reddy, the way they have left the deliveries out. Nitish Kumar Reddy’s first-class average is 22, but in today I don’t think I’ve seen the depth he’s shown in his batting from a player with that kind of experience.”

Irfan Pathan echoed this sentiment and emphasized the historic significance of the duo’s efforts. He praised their ability to build a chanceless partnership under pressure, which not only frustrated Australia’s bowlers but also swung the momentum in India’s favour.
“The biggest thing is that there has never been a case when number 8 and number 9 batsman in the Indian team have bowled over 300 deliveries, it has never happened in history. This brilliant partnership is the reason why India is still alive in this Test because had they both not bowled 300 deliveries, Australia would have been in the dominant position.We would have talked about how Australia would look to finish the match on Day 4 itself, but these players have changed the situation,” Pathan pointed out.
Through intelligent strike rotation and timely boundaries, Reddy and Sundar demonstrated the importance of partnerships in Test cricket.
As India head into Day 4, their resilience gives the visitors hope of salvaging a result, with Nitish Kumar Reddy now a beacon of promise for India’s future in the longest format.