Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has fiercely lobbied for young all-rounder Nitish Reddy to move up the batting order, claiming that his MCG performance merits a promotion to No. 6 in India's Test team.

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar spared the Indian team's blushes on day 3 of the ongoing MCG Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024.

On day three, India resumed at 164/5 but lost Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja, dropping to 221/7. Then, Washington Sundar struck 50 and combined 127 runs for the eighth wicket with Nitish Kumar Reddy to save India's blushes.

Nitish Reddy first scored his maiden Test fifty, then transformed it into his maiden Test century, finishing unbeaten on 105 runs as India finished day three on 358/9.

Former India coach Ravi Shastri then batted for Nitish Reddy to bat higher up in the batting order, to maximize their potential for the Indian team.

"I feel that the way he's batted, this is the last time he will bat at 7. 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," Ravi Shastri said during the tea break on Day 3.

Shastri emphasized that upgrading Reddy will not only boost the batting lineup but also allow the team to deploy an additional bowler, which is vital for success in Test cricket.

"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,” he added.

Reddy also rose to fourth place among the leading run scorers in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His maturity and composure under pressure have earned him significant accolades, particularly given that this is his first appearance in the game's longest version.