Mutyala Reddy father of Indian cricketer Nitish Kumar Reddy overcome with emotion as he witnessed his son score his maiden Test century under immense pressure during the Boxing Day Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Saturday, .
Batting on 99, Nitish reached the milestone by smashing a boundary off Scott Boland’s delivery, the third ball of the 115th over in the first innings.
Mutyala's celebration quickly went viral across social media, with a heartwarming video showing him raising his hands in triumph, tears streaming down his face as he celebrated his son’s remarkable achievement.
During the post-match conversation with Adam Gilchrist, Mutyala reflected on the moment with pride and gratitude:
“Today is a special moment—a special day. We cannot forget this day in our lives," he said, visibly emotional.
On the field, Nitish expressed his gratitude by going down on his knees, placing his helmet on the handle of his bat, and looking skyward in a heartfelt gesture.
In a previous interview with an Indian media outlet, the batting all-rounder had shared the sacrifices his family made to support his cricketing journey:
“My father left his job for me, and there has been a lot of sacrifice behind my story. One day, I saw him crying because of the financial problems we were facing, and I was like, this is not how it should be. That day, I got serious about cricket. I gave my first jersey to him and saw the happiness on his face," Nitish revealed.
Nitish, who made his international debut in October, has been a standout performer in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
He is currently India’s leading scorer in the series, amassing 284 runs in six innings at an impressive average of 71.00.
In his latest innings, Reddy showcased a mature and attacking approach. After surpassing Ravindra Jadeja's score—despite Jadeja’s 35-ball head start—Reddy played a sublime back-foot drive off Mitchell Starc to bring up his half-century.
His fearless approach was evident as he stepped out to Nathan Lyon, hitting the off-spinner for a six.
Nitish's partner, Washington Sundar, also played a pivotal role. He adopted a patient approach, scoring his first boundary on his 103rd ball with an elegant drive off Starc.
However, his innings ended when Lyon got extra bounce, and Steven Smith took a sharp catch at slip.
The day wasn't without its challenges for Australia. Mitchell Starc, who bowled tirelessly across 25 overs, was seen clutching his back midway through an over.
Although he appeared unscathed and continued bowling at a good pace, concerns linger about the quicks' workload ahead of the final Test in Sydney.
The eighth-wicket partnership between Reddy and Washington was a turning point, frustrating Australia and keeping India in contention.