AB de Villiers on Padikkal vs Sarfaraz as India’s No.3: ‘He hits in funny areas’

Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has expressed his preference for Devdutt Padikkal to play at number three for India in the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka. De Villiers, who is 42 years old, believes that Padikkal, a left-hander, had a more calming and consistent approach to batting compared to Sarfaraz Khan. The South African cricketer stated that Padikkal was a solid and reliable player, able to bat for long periods and keep the opposition guessing.

Sarfaraz, on the other hand, was considered more of an exciting prospect but less consistent. De Villiers emphasized that the decision to choose between the two would ultimately depend on the coach's preferences, taking into account the balance of the team and the need for a combination of right and left-handed batsmen, especially on turning wickets.

De Villiers also pointed out that despite the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, India still had a strong squad and would likely have to win around eight out of the remaining nine Test matches to secure the final.