Nitish Kumar Reddy celebrates first Test fifty with ‘Pushpa’ celebration

Team India’s new sensation Nitish Kumar Reddy brought out Pushpa’s iconic celebration as he hit his maiden Test fifty on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. Reddy’s fifty came in 81 balls and took India out of a pressure situation in a must-win game. After that, Reddy, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, celebrated his fifties with the iconic Pushpa celebration from the blockbuster film Pushpa, starring Allu Arjun.

A defining moment for Nitish Kumar Reddy

Nitish’s first Test fifty came at a crucial time when the Indian team was 7 down and struggling to avoid the follow-on. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been impressive with the bat at the bottom of the order, scoring 179 runs at an average of 44.75 before this game. However, as the match progresses, Nitish gets a chance to reach his first international century.

What made this moment even more special was Reddy’s celebration. With a wide smile on his face, he performed Pushpa’s famous ‘jhukega nahi’ gesture, indicating his resilience and determination. This gesture, which became a viral sensation after the film’s release, perfectly encapsulated Reddy’s mentality on the field: unbreakable, unbroken.

Watch the celebration here:

Join Anil Kumble on the Elite roster

Adding to the celebration, Reddy’s fifty years earned him a place alongside Indian cricket great Anil Kumble. Both players are now part of an exclusive list of Indian No. 8 batsmen who have scored half-centuries in Tests at the MCG. This includes players like Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Karsan Ghavri, Manoj Prabhakar, Dattu Phadkar, Hemu Adhikari and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Reddy has proven to be a reliable player for India throughout the series. Batting in the lower order, he has made important contributions in previous games. In a day-night warm-up match at Canberra’s Manuka Oval, he scored 42 runs. He then followed this up with scores of 41 and unbeaten 38 in the Perth Test.

Even when India faced difficulties, Reddy remained determined and delivered crucial performances, including two innings of 42 runs each in the Adelaide Test. Although his performance in Brisbane was not good, his efforts in Melbourne have put him in a strong position.

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