While the entire focus during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy is on the duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, another star performer Rishabh Pant has also been under scrutiny. The wicketkeeper-batter has scored 154 runs in 4 matches at an average of 22. While runs have not come as much as expected from the bat of Pant, his shot selections and batting approach have also been under the radar of critics, of late. Former India cricketer Atul Wassan feels the 27-year-old needs to “think” and “tamper” his game according to the situation.

The statement from Wassan comes after Pant was brutally slammed for his performance in the Melbourne Test. Pant ended the fourth Test with scores of 28(37) and 30(104). 

Pant faced backlash from fans and former cricketers after India fell to a 184-run defeat in front of a record-attendance crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the Boxing Day Test. The southpaw gave away his wicket while trying to pull off an audacious shot in the first innings. Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, who was on commentary, didn’t mince his words while talking about Pant’s dismissal.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid. You’ve got two fielders there, and you still go for that, you’ve missed the previous shot. And look where you’ve been caught. You’ve been caught at deep third,” was Gavaskar’s reaction during commentary.

In the second innings, when India stood in a comfortable position to end the Test at a draw, Pant’s dismissal opened the floodgates. He tried to take on part-time bowler Travis Head and holed it to Mitchell Marsh, ending his time on the crease.

“He (Pant) has won matches with such shots. But now there are a lot of expectations. So he should know how to tamper his game. I think Pant has slacked too much. He has to think. If you are not tampering with yourself according to the situation as a senior player, then you need to think,” Wassan told ANI.

Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes Pant should be criticised for his failures, but not the way he gets dismissed.

“Pant should be criticised only for his failures, rather than how he fails. He averages 42 in Tests with at least 3 great innings, ever played by an Indian! In 42 tests he has 6 hundred & 7 nineties. He is a great player not scoring enough runs & that’s the crux of it,” Manjrekar wrote in a post on X.

(With ANI Inputs)

File photo of Shubman Gill.© AFP

Travis Head’s controversial wicket celebration.© X (formerly Twitter)

India will need to win the final Test starting in Sydney on Friday to level the series.© AFP

Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah overtook legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev on Sunday, taking the most international wickets for India against Australia in Australia. Bumrah achieved this milestone during the fourth day of the fourth Test against Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). During the second innings, Bumrah took 4/56 in 24 overs at an economy rate of 2.33. He got wickets of Sam Konstas, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey.

Now in Australia, Bumrah has taken 75 wickets in 21 matches at an average of 19.74, with best figures of 6/33. He has three five-wicket hauls in Australia.

On the other hand, in 31 international matches in Australia, Kapil took 72 wickets against Australia at an average of 25.44, with best figures of 8/106, having five five-wicket hauls in Australia.

In 11 Tests in Australia, Bumrah has taken 61 wickets at an average of 17.44, with best spell of 6/33 and three five-wicket hauls.

Coming to the match, Australia won the toss and opted to bat first. Half-centuries from Konstas (60 in 65 balls, with six fours and two sixes), Usman Khawaja (57 in 121 balls, with six fours), Marnus Labuschagne (72 in 145 balls, with seven fours) and 34th Test ton from Steve Smith (140 in 197 balls, with 13 fours and three sixes) took Australia to 474/10 in their first innings.

Bumrah (4/99) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/78) were the lead pacer and spinner for the team, while Akash Deep got two wickets and Washington Sundar got one scalp.

India lost two quick wickets and were reduced to 51/2, but a century stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal (82 in 118 balls, with 11 fours and a six) and Virat Kohli (36 in 86 balls, with four boundaries) stabilised the innings. However, Jaiswal’s run-out and Virat’s outside off-stump woes made India end day two on 164/5.

Then it was a 127-run stand between Washington Sundar (50 in 162 balls, with one four) and Nitish (114 in 189 balls, with 11 fours and a six) helped India reach 369. Scott Boland (3/57), skipper Pat Cummins (3/89) and Nathan Lyon (3/96) were the top bowlers for Aussies.

In their second innings, Australia was reduced to 91/6, but Labuschagne (70 in 139 balls, with three fours) and skipper Pat Cummins (41 in 90 balls, with four boundaries) took Australia to 228/9.

Nitish Reddy wanted to confute his critics and the naysayers who doubted his ability to excel in Test format, and the gritty century at the iconic MCG was his way of conveying that he belongs to highest level of cricket. A few former players, including a former chairman of selectors, were skceptical about Reddy’s elevation as a Test player but with 293 runs in six innings and a batting average of 58-plus, he has answered them back in a befitting manner. Reddy’s 114 formed the cornerstone of India’s first innings score of 369 and attracted a lot of attention on the young batter.

Did you ever feel that you will be highest scorer in this team? “Some people doubted me, like a youngster who played IPL, can’t perform in such a big series. I know a lot of people did talk like that,” Reddy said, sharing his frustration after the end of fourth day’s play.

“I just want to make them feel wrong about what they have said about me and that’s what I am doing, I want people to know that I am here to give my 100 percent for Indian team,” the 21-year-old said and his plain speaking was as aggressive as his purposeful batting.

Asked how he looks at the past one month during which his life changed, he was quick to reply: “I guess for you guys, it is like one or two months. For me, it’s like, I can see my my past two to three years. How hard I’ve been working on my batting and bowling.” A lot of people don’t know that Reddy had hired side-arm throwdown experts before the start of 2024 IPL and practised against them with speed of deliveries cranking up to 145 clicks from around 18 yards.

“After the first IPL season, I realised what I have to improve my batting and I came up with a plan. When I got the off-season, I worked a lot on my batting and that’s what is giving results now. It’s not about the one month and two months, I have done the work from last two-three years to be here.” The sacrifices made by his family is well documented and the Australian media was also keen to know about the man behind the player and the role of his father Mutyalu.

“To be honest, my father had 25 years of service in central government and when I was a nobody, and hadn’t played a state-level game, the first person who believed in me was my father,” he was a touch emotional.

“He believed in me and he resigned from his job for me. He would take me to the ground, gym, always he wanted to be with me. He made a lot of sacrifices. If I have to tell about him, time won’t be sufficient but I am so grateful to have a father like him.” “I helped my team in a difficult situation to where we can fight back strongly. So that was a special century for me and for my father as well.” Talk about Virat Kohli, the man he looked up to when he decided to pursue the game, and he said it was a surreal moment to see his idol give him a standing ovation.

“I have been watching Virat from my childhood. He is my idol and now finally I have played with him. When he scored a hundred in Perth, I was at the non-striker’s end. I felt so happy.

“Now, I scored a century, he appreciated me. He came to me and said that ‘you really played well, you got the team back in the game’. I always dreamt about that moment and finally when he talked with me, that’s the best moment for me,” he said as his face beamed.

Asked about the chase on the final day, Reddy said: “First we have to take their last wicket. We will come back strongly and rectify our mistakes from the first innings.”

Nathan Lyon on Day 3 of India vs Australia 4th Test.© AFP

India’s rising star Nitish Kumar Reddy scripted history on Saturday with his maiden Test century against Australia. He was unbeaten at the score of 105 at the end of play on Day 3 of the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Nitish’s maiden Test century came at a critical juncture in the Boxing Day Test. Walking in with India reeling, his innings of unbeaten 105 not only stabilised the team but showcased his temperament and skill under pressure. Facing 171 balls, his knock included 10 boundaries and a six.

After his fighting knock, Nitish’s family went to meet him at his hotel room and they all found it hard to control their emotions. Watch the video here:

The Reddy family has been a bundle of emotions today. Witness the magical moment as they embrace Nitish after he wowed the world with his extraordinary maiden Test century at the MCG.

A day etched in memories… pic.twitter.com/uz9mrASuRm

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 28, 2024

Nitish entered the fray at a precarious moment for India, who were struggling at 221/7 after losing Rishabh Pant (28) and Ravindra Jadeja (17) early in the morning session. Undeterred by the mounting pressure, the 21-year-old produced an innings of incredible poise and determination, showcasing his ability to rise to the occasion against a formidable Australian bowling lineup.

Mutayala Reddy’s unwavering belief in his son’s abilities led him to quit his stable job at Hindustan Zinc in 2016 to focus entirely on Nitish’s cricketing aspirations. This decision came with financial hardships, sleepless nights, and countless sacrifices, but Mutayala never wavered in his commitment.

“My father left his job for me,” Nitish revealed in a BCCI video. “I saw him crying once because of the financial difficulties we were facing, and it changed something in me. I realised I had to take cricket seriously-not just for myself but for him. I still remember giving him my first jersey and seeing the happiness on his face. That moment became my motivation.”.

The innings also highlighted Reddy’s remarkable consistency throughout the series. Before his MCG heroics, he had delivered useful contributions with scores of 41, 38 not out, 42, and 16 across five innings in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

With India still trailing by 116 runs, Reddy’s role will remain critical as he resumes batting with Mohammed Siraj on Day 4.

(With IANS Inputs)