On Friday evening, Washington Sundar promised that he and his teammates would fight. And on Saturday, he precisely did that with centurion Nitish Kumar Reddy for company against Australia in the fourth Test.
Striding into meet the sports correspondents for the second consecutive day, Washington said: “Rohitbhai, Gautibhai and all the support staff keep telling us to fight. Playing for India, in a ground like MCG, Boxing Day Test, we will do what it takes to be in a good position. Very happy for Nitish. He got an unbelievable 100. Definitely a good day, would have been even better if I hadn’t got out.”
Talking about his 127-run eighth-wicket partnership with Nitish, Washington said: “We wanted to see off some important spells and they came in quite hard. We didn’t lose any wicket and then the runs started to come. The entire day was a mixture of different phases. When I went in, things were difficult. After we went back following the rains, the pitch got a little sticky and those 30 minutes were important.”
AS IT HAPPENED | AUS vs IND, DAY 3
Analysing Nitish, Washington said: “He is mentally very strong. I have known him for quite a few years. The way he went about his business was amazing. He made sure he picked those phases in the game where he thought he would get a few boundaries in and also made sure that we saw through a few spells. His 100 will be talked about and remembered for a very long time. One thing about Nitish is this, he will give his 120 per cent.”
India’s Nitish Kumar Reddy celebrates after passing 100 on day three of the fourth cricket Test match between Australia and India.
| Photo Credit:
Martin Keep/AFP
India’s Nitish Kumar Reddy celebrates after passing 100 on day three of the fourth cricket Test match between Australia and India.
| Photo Credit:
Martin Keep/AFP
As for India’s prospects, Washington expressed hope: “We should pick wickets, and if we can bowl them out for 150, I am sure we will be able to get anywhere between 250 to 300 on day five. It will be exciting.”