Nitish Reddy rewarded the faith shown in him by the Indian management during the difficult selection for the MCG Test with a show of calm and determination on the third afternoon. The all-rounder entered the game at 191/6 and added a record eighth wicket stand of 105* runs with Washington Sundar at the MCG to lift India out of their batting quagmire. By the time there was an early tea break due to poor light, India had reduced their deficit to 148.

Through their alliance, which has now grown to 32.1 overs, both Nitish and Washington showed that the conditions were greater allies to the batters. Washington Nitish, who scored his first Test fifty, played perfectly in his 115-ball 40-run stand and is now just 15 away from his first Test century.

Nitish’s 85 came at a brisk rate of 71.43 but there were few risks taken by the young batsman. He even resisted the familiar trap of playing the ramp shot against short balls from Pat Cummins after being sent off in this way in Adelaide. He even hit a short ball to his glove but didn’t take it. He exuded confidence from the start, playing his attacks against the Quicks and giving Nathan Lyon the attack. There was only one daring moment in an otherwise controlled attempt when he tried to play pacer Scott Boland backwards.

What brought them together for a leisurely batting session was the morning’s dramatic events. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja, not averse to stitching up big stands themselves, were bowled out by Boland and Lyon to leave India seven points behind and in danger of conceding a big first innings lead. Pant went as he tried to shuffle and beat Boland down the leg side, only to have the ball top-edged to Lyon at third man.

Jadeja, who had been completely reserved in his demeanor, was dismissed by Lyon with a trick out of his own book. The off-spinner hit Jadeja on the back foot with his lengths and slipped faster at 88 kmph to trap his leg beforehand. From 221/7 in the 65th over, Australia’s hopes of a quick finish were completely dashed. The still unbeaten eighth-wicket stand meant India forced an opponent to take the second new ball in their first innings for the first time in eight Tests.

Short results: India 326/7 (Nitish Reddy 85*, Yashasvi Jaiswal 82; Scott Boland 3-49) is 148 runs behind Australia 474 (Steve Smith 140, Marnus Labuschagne 72; Jasprit Bumrah 4-99).