Walking in at the fall of the team’s sixth wicket with just 191 on the board in reply to Australia’s first innings total of 474 all out, the 21-year-old Reddy made an unbeaten 105 off 176 balls, and was involved in a record partnership of 127 for the eighth wicket with Washington Sundar (50 off 162 balls).
At 21 years and 216 days, Reddy became the third youngest Indian, behind Sachin Tendulkar and Rishabh Pant, to notch maiden Test century for India in Australia. He also became the first batter to notch a ton batting at no.8 at MCG.
The hundred is yet another big step in Reddy’s short career so far.
In February, he got his first First-Class century in a Ranji Trophy game between Andhra and Bihar in Patna. The innings of 159 off 186 deliveries comprised of 16 fours and five sixes. Reddy also picked 3 wickets in the match and helped Andhra register a win by an innings and 157 runs. He was adjudged the Player of the Match.
Reddy then showcased his class in the Indian Premier League as he scored 303 runs and claimed 3 wickets for Sunrisers Hyderabad. For his consistent performance throughout the season he won the Emerging Player of the Year award. SRH too rewarded the youngster as he was one of the five players retained by the team ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. The youngturk minted a cool ₹6 crore for getting retained by his franchisee.
Between winning the Emerging Player of the Year award at the IPL and walking away with a fat pay cheque, Reddy got his first international call as he was included in India’s T20I squad for three match series against Bangladesh in October. Reddy made his international debut on October 6 as he was included in India’s playing Xi for the first T20I at Gwalior. Three days later the he struck a thrilling half-century (74 off 34 balls) and backed that with a two-wicket haul in the second T20I in Delhi. That performance was enough to win him his first Player of the Match award.
October became even more unforgettable for the youngester as he he was included in India’s 18-member squad for the five Test series Down Under.
Reddy’s stars continued to shine as not only did he travel to Australia for the much awaited Border-Gavaskar series but also got a thumbs up for the team management to be included in the Test team. And so, on November 22 Reddy made his Test debut at Perth. He was awarded his India Test cap by his childhood hero Virat Kohli.
India’s struggles in Tests this year has meant that players have been picked and dropped consistently. The pattern has continued in Australia too but the young gun has managed to hold on to his spot. In the first three Tests he came close to getting a fifty as he notched the scores of 41,38*, 42,42,42 and 16.
His talent was finally rewarded as he got a Test hundred, a significant milestone in any cricket’s career, at MCG to round-off a memorable 2024.
First Published: Dec 28, 2024 1:49 PM IST
