Nitish Kumar Reddy celebrates maiden Test half-century with iconic 'Pushpa Raj' tribute: WATCH

Nitish Kumar Reddy celebrates maiden Test half-century (Pic: Amit Shah)

Nitish Kumar Reddy reached his maiden half-century in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy, following a series of near-misses with multiple scores in the forties. His landmark achievement came after he drove a boundary off a wide delivery from Mitchell Starc.

In a celebratory gesture that caught everyone's attention, Reddy mimicked the iconic Pushpa Raj move from the popular film Pushpa: The Rise, with the bat around his neck. This prompted a reaction from Sunil Gavaskar, who was quick to recognise the reference and remarked, 'O... Pushpa,' on commentary.

The line 'Pushpa jhukega nahi sala' from the film, which translates to "Pushpa will never bow down, damn it!", represents the protagonist's unwavering resolve to confront insurmountable challenges without yielding. In a similar vein, Reddy's knock symbolised his resilience in the face of adversity.

At just 21 years old, Reddy has now emerged as India's third-highest run-scorer and the fifth-highest scorer in this year's Border Gavaskar Trophy. He has accumulated 240 runs in the series, averaging 60 with a strike rate of 70.38.

Reddy's innings was significant not only for his personal achievement but also for its contribution to India's fortunes in the match. Coming in with India at 191 for 6, Reddy formed a crucial partnership of over 100 runs with Washington Sundar, rescuing the team from the threat of a follow-on.

With India still trailing by more than 150 runs, Reddy and Sundar will have plenty of work ahead of them. However, the pitch in Melbourne has settled, offering the Indian batsmen an opportunity to wear down the Australian pace attack and claw their way back into the contest.

More updates to follow...