'Nitish Reddy has got every shot in the book': Scott Boland after all-rounder's hundred in Boxing Day Test
Nitish Kumar Reddy injected hope back into the Indian dressing room on the back of his maiden Test century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Boxing Day Test match. Nitish went back unbeaten on 105 at stumps on Day 3 as he carried India from 191/6 to 358/9.
Australian fast-bowler Scott Boland heaped praise on Nitish Kumar Reddy after his sensational hundred in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG on Saturday, December 28. Boland said that Nitish strikes the ball pretty well and he has got all the shots in the book.
The 21-year-old Nitish impressed everyone with his fighting hundred in the first innings of the fourth Test with India's backs against the walls. Walking in to bat when the visitors were reeling at 191/6, Nitish unfurled his shots and got to his maiden Test ton in the latter part of the third session before bad light and rain forced stumps early on Day 3.
"Yeah, obviously he's playing really nicely. Coming in down the middle, it's a lower-order, but he's sort of trying to put the pressure back on us. And he's playing nicely," Boland said in the press conference after the end of the third day's play.
"He played really well. He's been a young guy from India who's come through and strikes the ball really well. It looks like he's got pretty much every shot in the book," he added.
The Aussie speedster got to face Reddy for the first time during the pink-ball warm-up match between India and PM XI in Canberra ahead of the Adelaide Test. "I played the ‘A’ game against him, the PM's game and then a couple of Tests. You see he can score all around the ground.
"He’s obviously a very nice player and does well in the IPL and he's doing well here in Australian conditions as well," he said.
The bowlers found very little assistance from the surface on Day 3 but the Aussies were still tight. Boland also opened up on the pitch, saying that it does not have enough in it for the bowlers. "Yeah, I think it started off with a fair bit of nip in it. I think there's still a little bit of nip there at the moment. Not as consistent as I'd like as a bowler, but I think it's going to be a pretty good Test match wicket," he said.