Nitish Kumar Reddy hit a sensational hundred on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against Australia on Saturday, December 28. Reddy's hundred brought India out of major trouble in the first innings in reply to Australia's 474.

The visitors were reeling at 191/6 on the morning of Day 3 before Reddy put up a batting masterclass. He notched up a 127-run stand for the eighth wicket with Washington Sundar to help India end the third day at 358/9.

Reddy, who made a Bahubali pose after his hundred, has opened up on his performance. "After my Hundred, I was planting my bat - keeping the helmet - so there is Indian flag and saluting the flag - the biggest motivation is playing for the country and it was memorable," Reddy said.

His century came in front of a packed MCG crowd with over 80 thousand in attendance. One among those thousand people was his father. "I saw my father crying, I dreamt about making him proud," Reddy said.

Meanwhile, there was a moment when his century was in doubt after the wickets of Sundar and Jasprit Bumrah. Pat Cummins was firing in after getting Bumrah and had three balls at No.11 Mohammed Siraj. However, the Indian tailender managed to keep out all those deliveries and brought back Nitish on strike for the next over.

Nitish opened up on Siraj too. "You know, what mentality Siraj carries, he was like 'i will do it' - was boosted up and I was so happy," he said.

Nitish came on strike in the 115th over against Scott Boland and lofted his third delivery straight down the ground for a four to get to his ton.

En route to his hundred, Reddy has shattered a world record at the iconic 'G. His unbeaten 105 from 176 deliveries is now the highest score at the venue from a No.8 or lower batter in the history of the format. The previous record belonged to former Australian batter Reggie Duff, who had made 104 in a Test against England in 1902.

Reddy has become only the fourth batter, and first visiting, to hit a century at the MCG from No.8 or lower. Apart from him and Duff, Jack Gregory and Ray Lindwall are the only other players to slam a ton at No.8 or lower at the venue.