Nitish’s century celebration was a sight to behold and carried a deeper significance. After reaching the milestone, he knelt on the pitch, planted his bat into the ground, and rested his helmet atop it. Explaining his heartfelt gesture in a video shared by the BCCI on X, Nitish said, “After my hundred, I was planting my bat over there and keeping my helmet, so the Indian flag is there. I am just planting the Indian flag and saluting it.”

Earlier in the innings, he added a touch of flair to his half-century celebration, drawing inspiration from the iconic Pushpa movie. But his century celebration struck an emotional chord, symbolizing his respect and love for the nation.

The road to his first Test hundred was anything but smooth. India’s innings faced turbulence after quick dismissals of Washington Sundar and Jasprit Bumrah. Nitish, however, remained resolute, keeping his composure despite mounting pressure.

The defining moment came when Mohammed Siraj joined him at the crease. Australia’s skipper Pat Cummins tried to deny Nitish his landmark with a tight over, but Siraj stood firm, ensuring Nitish got the strike. The young all-rounder seized the opportunity, completing his well-deserved hundred.

Sharing his thoughts on this achievement, Nitish said, “I just kept saying to myself, keep fighting, which motivated me. Siraj was like, ‘I will do it.’ He was boosted up, and I was so happy. I wanted to perform in Australia so that everyone recognizes me.”

Nitish also credited his fighting spirit to head coach Gautam Gambhir, a veteran known for his resilience in challenging situations. Washington Sundar, who partnered with Nitish earlier in the innings, emphasized Gambhir’s influence on the team’s mindset.

“Today was special. Nitish and I kept telling each other that we would keep fighting no matter what. That is something that has come from Gauti bhai. That made things easier for us. A lot of things went our way. Really happy for Nitish for his first hundred,” Sundar said.

As the Test progresses, India trails by 116 runs. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Mohammed Siraj remain unbeaten, carrying the hopes of a nation into Day 4 of the match. Fans eagerly await what promises to be another enthralling day of cricket.

The post Nitish Kumar Reddy Dedicates Maiden Test Century to Indian Flag, Credits Gautam Gambhir for His Grit appeared first on FolksTimes.

According to the latest ICC rankings update, released on Tuesday, Mandhana has achieved an ODI rating of 739, placing her just below South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, who leads with a rating of 773. In T20Is, Mandhana’s rating stands at 753, trailing slightly behind Australia’s Beth Mooney, who leads with a rating of 757.

The 28-year-old’s rise to No. 2 in both formats can be attributed to her outstanding performances in the recent series against the West Indies. Mandhana scored 62 runs off 41 balls and 77 runs off 47 balls in two T20Is, marking her third consecutive half-century against West Indies’ Hayley Matthews. Additionally, her knock of 91 runs off 102 balls in the first ODI in Vadodara helped extend her streak of five consecutive half-centuries in international cricket.

Meanwhile, Hayley Matthews, the West Indies captain, has also made progress in the rankings. Her scores of 85 not out off 47 balls and 22 runs off 17 balls in the two T20Is helped her rise two places to joint-third, where she now shares the spot with Australia’s Tahlia McGrath, both with a rating of 748.

Indian bowlers Radha Yadav and Shreyanka Patil also saw improvements in the T20I rankings. Yadav climbed three places to 16th, while Patil moved up to 20th.

In the ODI rankings, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur gained three positions after her 34-run performance in the Vadodara ODI, bringing her to joint-10th place with England’s Tammy Beaumont, both with a rating of 631.

Australian opener Alyssa Healy also saw an improvement in the ODI rankings. Her scores of 39 and 34 against New Zealand helped her move up two places to eighth, with a rating of 640.

Annabel Sutherland, the Australian all-rounder, achieved career-best rankings in multiple categories, following her Player of the Match performances in the second and third ODIs against New Zealand. Sutherland’s 105 not out and 42 runs in the two ODIs moved her up 11 spots to 18th in the batting rankings. Additionally, her three-wicket haul in the third ODI raised her to 17th in the bowling rankings, while her all-rounder ranking climbed from ninth to seventh.

Indian bowler Renuka Singh Thakur reached a new milestone, entering the top 20 of the ODI bowling rankings for the first time. Her five-wicket haul for 29 runs against the West Indies played a key role in her ascent.

Australian pacer Kim Garth also made a significant climb, moving up four places to 13th in the ODI bowling rankings after taking three wickets in two matches against New Zealand.

Finally, New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr and Australia’s Alana King made improvements in the ODI bowling rankings, with Kerr moving up to 11th and King climbing two places to 12th. Both players are known for their leg-spin bowling.

This update reflects the ongoing evolution of women’s cricket and the outstanding individual performances that continue to shape the rankings in both formats.

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