IND vs AUS 4th Test, Day 3: Nitish Kumar Reddy made history by scoring a fighting century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He is now the fifth Indian batsman to score a century while batting at number eight or lower in Test cricket. Before the 21-year-old all-rounder, this special feat was achieved by Ravichandran Ashwin, MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, and Kapil Dev. Ashwin has scored four centuries at this position, while Dhoni, Harbhajan, and Kapil Dev each have two centuries.
Most Centuries at Number Eight or Below for India
- 4 centuries – Ravichandran Ashwin
- 2 centuries – MS Dhoni
- 2 centuries – Harbhajan Singh
- 2 centuries – Kapil Dev
Nitish Kumar Reddy Completes Century in 172 Balls
Nitish Kumar Reddy played brilliantly at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, scoring his first century in 172 balls with a strike rate of 59.88. He is currently unbeaten on 103 runs, having hit 10 fours and one excellent six.
Highest Score at Number Eight or Below in Australia
Nitish Kumar Reddy has also become the first batsman to score the highest innings in Australia while batting at number eight or below for India. The previous record was held by Anil Kumble, who scored 87 runs while batting brilliantly in Adelaide in 2008.
Highest Score for India in Australia While Batting at Number Eight or Below
- 105* – Nitish Reddy, Melbourne, 2024
- 87 – Anil Kumble, Adelaide, 2008
- 81 – Ravindra Jadeja, Sydney, 2019
- 67* – Kiran More, Melbourne, 1991
- 67 – Shardul Thakur, Brisbane, 2021
Nitish Reddy’s Century in Australia
Nitish Kumar Reddy became the first Indian batsman to score a century on Australian soil while batting at number eight. No player had achieved this feat before him.