Team Pushpa 2 The Rule reacts to Nitish Kumar Reddy celebrating maiden Test ton with Allu Arjun's ‘thaggede le’ gesture

Team India cricketer Nitish Kumar Reddy celebrated scoring his first Test half century in the BGT with Allu Arjun's famous gesture from Pushpa films.

Indian cricketer Nitish Kumar Reddy scored his maiden Test hundred on the third day of the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. After completing his half century earlier in the day, the cricketer turned towards the crowd at the stadium and gave a nod to Allu Arjun’s famous gesture from the Pushpa films. (Also Read: Pushpa 2 The Rule box office collection day 23: Allu Arjun film brings in over ₹1128 crore as it enters 4th week)

Cricketer Nitish Kumar Reddy celebrated his maiden fifty during play on the third day of the fourth cricket test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. (AP/PTI)

Team Pushpa responds to Nitish Kumar Reddy

On Saturday, Nitish scored his first half-century in a Test match. After the moment, the cricketer turned towards the crowd, picked up his bat and gestured Arjun’s signature move, ‘thaggede le’ (I won’t back down), much to everyone’s delight. As promised, he completed his maiden century during the match, too.

Videos of the moment widely circulated on X (formerly Twitter) with Arjun fans pumped to see the Vizag cricketer give their favourite star a nod. Team Pushpa also responded to it, writing, “#AssaluThaggedhele #Pushpa2 #WildFirePushpa,” while sharing Nitish’s video.

They also congratulated him for completing his maiden century at the Test match in a separate post, writing, “A WILD FIRE Knock indeed!! Congratulations on your maiden test ton #NitishKumarReddy. #Pushpa2.”

Fans responded to the posts, with one X user writing, “Australia Melbourne lo PUSHPA MANIA commentators calling pushpa swag.” Another fan wrote, “Even BCCI is promoting Pushpa now.” Numerous others commented with fire emojis and ‘thaggede le’.

About Pushpa 2: The Rule

Sukumar’s Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil-starrer Pushpa 2: The Rule was released in theatres on December 5, with paid premieres held on December 4. The film is a sequel to their 2021 hit film Pushpa: The Rise. Pushpa 2: The Rule has become the highest-grossing Indian film of 2024, crossing the ₹1700 crore gross mark worldwide.

At the premiere of the film at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad, a stampede-like situation resulted in the death of a woman and the hospitalisation of her young son in a critical condition. The theatre management, security and Arjun were arrested in the case. The actor is out now on interim bail granted by the Telangana High Court.