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India counter-punched superbly on day three, asking significant questions of the Australian attack and ensuring there will be no easy home-town win.
AUSTRALIA V INDIA: Day three of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG:
SCORE: Australia 474, India 9-358
SUMMARY: Resuming at 5-164, India survived the morning session, although Rishabh Pant's dismissal prompted a scolding of "stupid, stupid, stupid" on radio from former captain Sunil Gavaskar. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar then went to work, putting on 127 for the eighth wicket. After Sundar and Jasprit Bumrah were dismissed, No.11 Mohammed Siraj dug in and that allowed Reddy to score his maiden Test century. Minutes after his triumph, rain intervened for the second time on Saturday and ended play early.
THE MOMENT: Reddy went down on one knee in celebration when he brought up his century. In the crowd, his father burst into tears after several nerve-wracking moments when it looked like the ton might not happen.
THE PLAYERS: Reddy ended the day on 105no, the emerging allrounder's first international century as he continues his impressive debut Test series. Sundar provided crucial support with 50.
THE STATS: Reddy's century is the highest Test score by an Indian No.8 in Australia and his stand with Sundar was one run short of the record Indian partnership for the eighth wicket against Australia. It was also another bumper crowd, with 83,073 the record for day three of a Boxing Day Test.