Devdutt Padikkal continued his sensational run of form as he smashed his second consecutive Test century against Sri Lanka, producing another assured innings to strengthen India’s position in the second Test in Colombo.
India won the toss and opted to bat first at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on Sunday. While the visitors lost wickets at regular intervals, Padikkal once again stood firm and played a crucial role in building India’s first-innings total.
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Coming in after the fall of the opening wicket, Padikkal settled into the innings before gradually taking control. The left-hander combined patience with an attacking approach whenever scoring opportunities presented themselves. His innings was particularly significant given the ongoing debate surrounding India’s No. 3 position in Test cricket.
Padikkal had already impressed in the opening Test of the series, and his performance in Colombo has now given the team management another strong reason to consider him for the position going forward.
The 26-year-old eventually brought up his century during the opening day, marking his second successive hundred in the series. He remained at the crease for a large part of the day and kept the Sri Lankan bowlers under pressure with his assured strokeplay.
His innings finally came to an end after he had scored 117 runs. Keshara Nuwantha dismissed the Indian batter by bowling him through the top of off stump, bringing an end to a superb knock.
Padikkal’s back-to-back centuries have come at an important time for India. The team had been weighing its options for the No. 3 role, particularly with Sai Sudharsan unavailable due to injury. Padikkal has made the most of the opportunity and has delivered two major performances in consecutive Tests.
His latest hundred also placed him alongside some of India’s notable Test batters in the record books. With two Test centuries in Sri Lanka, Padikkal has equalled the tally of Virat Kohli, Vinod Kambli, Mohammad Azharuddin, Navjot Sidhu and Ajinkya Rahane.
Only a handful of Indian batters have scored more Test centuries in Sri Lanka. Virender Sehwag, Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara have three centuries each in the country, while Sachin Tendulkar leads the list with five hundreds.
Padikkal’s performances have therefore added another layer to India’s selection debate. While Sudharsan remains a strong option when available, the Karnataka batter has taken his opportunity emphatically and demonstrated the consistency and temperament needed for Test cricket.
His ability to bat for long periods has been particularly valuable in Sri Lankan conditions, where patience and shot selection can play a decisive role.
With the second Test still unfolding, Padikkal’s latest century has already become one of the major talking points of the match. If he continues producing performances of this quality, India’s No. 3 debate could become increasingly difficult for the team management to settle.
