Watch: Nitish Kumar Reddy Celebrates First Test Fifty with Iconic ‘Pushpa’ Celebration at MCG

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

A Milestone Moment for Nitish Kumar Reddy 

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

What made this moment even more special was Reddy’s celebration. With a broad grin on his face, he performed the famous ‘jhukega nahi’ gesture from Pushpa, signalling his resilience and determination. This gesture, which became a viral sensation after the movie’s release, perfectly encapsulated Reddy’s mentality on the field—unbowed, unbroken.

Watch the celebration here: 

Joining Anil Kumble in Elite List 

In addition to the celebration, Reddy’s fifty earned him a place alongside Indian cricketing great Anil Kumble. Both players are now part of an exclusive list of No. 8 batters from India 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 shown himself to be a reliable player for India throughout the series. Batting in the lower order, he has made important contributions in earlier games. In a day-night warm-up match at Manuka Oval in Canberra, he scored 42 runs. He then followed this with scores of 41 and an unbeaten 38 in the Perth Test. 

Even as India faced difficulties, Reddy stayed determined and delivered crucial performances, including two innings of 42 runs each in the Adelaide Test. Although his performance in Brisbane wasn’t strong, his efforts in Melbourne have put him in a strong position.

Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and Instagram