Nitish Kumar Reddy delivered a remarkable performance under pressure during the Boxing Day Test on Saturday, achieving his first half-century in Test cricket. He ensured that this milestone was celebrated in a distinctive and memorable fashion.

After several near-misses at the fifty-run mark, Reddy finally surpassed this challenging threshold, much to the joy of his supporters and teammates. The 21-year-old batsman reached his half-century in an impressive manner, striking a boundary off a wide delivery from Mitchell Starc, and immediately followed it with a celebration inspired by the recently released film, ‘Pushpa: The Rise.’

In homage to the film’s iconic character, Pushpa Raj, Reddy raised his bat around his neck, imitating the well-known gesture performed by actor Allu Arjun. This celebration caught the eye of veteran commentator Sunil Gavaskar, who promptly recognized the reference.

With a hint of amusement, Gavaskar remarked, “O… Pushpa,” acknowledging the clear nod to the character’s famous line, “Pushpa jhukega nahi," which translates to "Pushpa will never bow down!"

In the context of the film, this dialogue represents the character’s unwavering resolve, a spirit that Reddy appeared to embody as he marked his achievement.

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Reddy's half-century proved pivotal in the current Test match, as India sought to evade the follow-on under considerable pressure. The team experienced a batting-order collapse in the last half-hour of Day 2, losing three wickets, including those of Yashasvi Jaiswal (82) and Virat Kohli (36). On Day 3, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja also fell early, yet Nitish, in partnership with Washington Sundar, forged a significant alliance that enabled India to avoid the follow-on and narrow the deficit against the home team.

During his innings, Nitish ascended to third place among India's leading run-scorers in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His composure at the crease and capacity to perform under pressure have garnered acclaim from various quarters, particularly given that this tour to Australia marks his debut in the longest format of the game.

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