Indian rookie Reddy scores maiden Test century to frustrate Aussies

Emerging allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has scored his first international century in emotional scenes at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to claw India back into the Boxing Day Test against Australia.

Reddy — who was first picked for India in Perth last month, mainly off Indian Premier League form — continued his memorable debut series with a game-shaping ton.

India were 358/9, trailing Australia by 116, when play was suspended late on day three due to bad light, with Reddy unbeaten on 105.

Heavy rain started falling minutes later, bringing about an early stumps.

Reddy's maiden Test century came from 171 balls, as he reached his milestone under gloomy skies with the threat of rain lingering.

The talented 21-year-old was almost left stranded on 99, but No.11 Mohammed Siraj (2no) survived four tense deliveries from Australia captain Pat Cummins to allow him to regain the strike.

Powerful right-hander Reddy celebrated his ton by taking a knee and saluting the strong crowd of more than 80,000 — a record for day three of a Boxing Day Test — with his father in tears of joy in the crowd.

It was the highest Test score from an Indian No.8 in Australia.

Reddy combined for a 127-run stand with fellow allrounder Washington Sundar (50). The pair fell one run short of breaking the record for the highest eighth-wicket partnership by an Indian pair against Australia, when Sundar was caught at slip off Nathan Lyon.

India were still in danger of not reaching the follow-on target of 275 when they began day three on 164/5, before Reddy and Sundar took advantage of a flat pitch and a tiring Australian bowling attack.

Reddy has been a revelation for India, since debuting in the Border-Gavaskar series-opener. The regular No.8 is India's highest scorer for the series, with 284 runs at an average of 71 to begin his Test career.

He is behind only Australian star Travis Head (409) for the most runs by any batter in the series.

Earlier, India legend Sunil Gavaskar blasted aggressive wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant for a "stupid" dismissal in the first session.

Pant, the hero of India's famous series win in Australia four years ago, departed in reckless fashion, when he mishit a Scott Boland (3/57) delivery to Lyon at third man.

The previous delivery, Pant had been hit in the midriff by Boland, while attempting almost the same shot.

He also fell over while attempting to play the legside shot that was his downfall, prompting Gavaskar to call it a "shocking" way to depart.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," an exasperated Gavaskar said on ABC Radio.

"You missed the previous shot and look where you've been caught. That is throwing away your wicket.

"You cannot say that that's your natural game. That is letting your team down badly.

"You have to understand the situation as well. He should not be going in that dressingroom, he should be going in the other dressingroom."

Boland, Cummins (3/86) and Lyon (2/88) shared the bowling honours.

With the five-match series tied 1-1, India will retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy, if they pull off an extraordinary comeback victory in this fourth Test.

Australia need to prevent the tourists from winning one of the last two Tests in this series, while claiming at least one themselves to regain the trophy for the first time since 2014/15.

Australia 474 India 358/9 (Reddy 105no, Jaiswal 82, sundar 50; Boland 3/57, Cummins 3/86)

Australia lead by 116 runs after three days, series level 1-1