Shastri calls for promotion of Nitish Reddy in batting order

Melbourne: Impressed by Nitish Reddy's sensational maiden century, former coach Ravi Shastri on Saturday advocated for his promotion in the batting order, suggesting that a top-six position would provide better balance to India going into the fifth and final Test.

The 21-year-old Reddy showed tremendous grit, scoring a dogged 105 not out at number 8 to virtually bail India out on the third day of the Boxing Day Test.

"I feel that the way he's batted, this is the last time he will bat at 7," Shastri told Star Sports.

"To get the balance of the side, you need him to go higher up the order, either 5 or 6 and then you have the opportunity of playing 5 bowlers to take the 20 wickets, and he's given that kind of confidence to the selectors and the team management and the captain.”

India's batting has looked brittle, especially with skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant struggling to score runs in the five-Test series so far.

Throwing his weight behind Nitish, Shastri added, "Reddy is fully capable of batting in the top 6. Then it changes the whole balance of the game.

"You go to Sydney with him batting in the top 6, and you're playing five bowlers." On Sunday, India will resume at 358 for nine, still trailing by 119 runs against Australia's first-innings score of 474.