[Watch] Steve Smith plucks stunning catch to dismiss Nitish Kumar Reddy on Day 5 of BGT 2024-25 4th Test

Australia v India - Men's 4th Test Match: Day 5 - Source: Getty

Veteran Australian spinner Nathan Lyon landed a crucial blow on Team India on Day 5 (Monday, December 30) of the fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test in Melbourne, dismissing all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy to tilt the scales in the hosts' favor. Steve Smith took a sharp diving catch at slip, giving the off-spinner his first wicket of the innings.

The dismissal occurred in the 63rd over of the fourth innings as the New South Welshman was in the middle of a probing spell. With the ball pitching on the off-stump line, Reddy went for the defense but only managed a thin edge through to slip where Smith made the chance count. Lyon managed to add a wicket to his tally of three from the first innings.

Expand Tweet

The Indian seam-bowling all-rounder had staged a brilliant rearguard in the first innings, scoring his maiden hundred. The innings of 114 and the 127-run stand with Washington Sundar helped the tourists whittle down the first-innings lead to 105 when they risked conceding well above 200.

"We need to go instinctively, according to the situation" - Nitish Kumar Reddy ahead of Day 5 of the Boxing Day Test

Nitish Kumar Reddy. (Image Credits: Getty)

Ahead of the decisive Day 5 of the Boxing Day Test, the 21-year-old opined that India should not put pressure on themselves due to the pitch potentially playing tricks, and must approach the run-chase in a calculated manner. Reddy said, (as quoted by ICC):

"We'll come back strong, we'll rectify the mistakes we made in the first innings. We have to first take the last wicket and then bat accordingly. I feel like you need to get one or two good partnerships. From the first day, we knew the movement was there, the pitch is doing something. Later on, on the fourth day, it was doing a bit more. We don't need to put more pressure (on ourselves). We need to go instinctively, according to the situation."

The tourists received a 340-run target after bowling Australia out for 234.