WATCH: Anushka Sharma and Athiya Shetty enter stands with Nitish Kumar Reddy's father at MCG

India has found themselves in a tough position at the end of Day 4 of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Nitish Kumar Reddy with the bat and Jasprit Bumrah with the ball have been the standout performers for the team so far in the match. 

The upcoming star from Visakhapatnam scored a masterful century on Day 3 of the match to put India back on track to win the MCG Test. Reddy was largely appreciated for his valiant effort with the bat by the fans and the critics. 

His father was visibly emotional after his son scored his maiden century for the national side. On Day 4, he was seen entering the stands with Anushka Sharma and Athiya Shetty at the MCG.

Anushka Sharma and Athiya Shetty with Nitish Kumar Reddy's father at MCG.
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— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) December 29, 2024

"This is the first Test hundred, and he is going to score many more in the near future. I am expecting to see him among the runs in the future. He is a star of the Indian cricket. However, he will have to remember the sacrifices made by his father and other members of the family. Nitish is here because of Indian cricket, and he will have to make sure that he doesn’t take Indian cricket for granted. If he stays true to himself, a successful career lies ahead of him," said Sunil Gavaskar on Star Sports.

India fail to get rid of tailenders on Day 4

Despite bowling well in the second session, India will be disappointed to have leaked runs to tailenders. The Rohit Sharma-led team had managed to restrict Australia to a score of 91/6, but a 57-run stand between Marnus Labuschagne and Pat Cummins got them back into the game. 

Towards the back end of the day, Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland, playing to save the last wicket, batted ceaselessly to add 55 runs. Australia is currently at 228/9 and leads by 333 runs, with Lyon batting at 41 and Boland at 10. 

The visitors will look to get rid of them early on Day 5 and try and bat to win the match. While the target will be steep chase, the conditions won't be as difficult to play as in the first innings.