Calling it stupid, Gavaskar said that Pant should probably go to Australian dressing room than India’s. Jadeja fell shortly after and it left Reddy and Washington a mountain to climb — one that was 253 runs tall. Washington, who had expressed his confidence the previous day, backed it up with performance and so did Reddy.
By the time tea was taken early due to rain, they looked set to bat through the day. However, the showers meant the pitch was sticky after and they decided to bat time. The duo was not in a hurry.
Over the next ten overs post-rain-break, only 13 runs would come. Washington got to his fifty and Reddy was closing in on his century. Just when it seemed like both were going to bat through the day, the off-spinning all-rounder got out.
With Jasprit Bumrah falling soon after, tension ensued. Can Reddy get to his ton? Or will he be left stranded? Guiding Mohammed Siraj, Reddy batted through and then eventually brought up his century — first of many to come and in front of his family — with a shot down the ground.
He ran towards them, this time taking a leaf out of the Bahubali movie — and dedicated it top his dad, mom and sister who were in the stands.
Even as he tried to take fresh guard, bad light stopped play and stumps were drawn. India 358/9 and Reddy 105 not out.
While Washington would have loved to score more runs and remain unbeaten at the end of the day, he was pleased with how the day went for India.
“I still feel there’s something for the bowlers in this wicket, so if we can get them all out around 100-150, I think, sun doesn’t come out a lot, and it’s been overcast for most of the game until now, I guess. So, I mean, if we can bowl the right areas if we can take our chances, I’m sure we should be able to get them for 150, and day five will be a lot exciting as well,” he said.
While it is something India would believe the first focus will be on reducing the deficit of 116 as much as possible with Reddy still batting.
How much more he can do is something Sunday will tell, but what Reddy has shown on Saturday is that he is one for the future and he is here to stay.
