A ton of class! Devdutt Padikkal makes the long wait count
Devdutt Padikkal last played a Test for India during the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. After waiting 632 days, the left-hander seized his opportunity. Karnataka captaincy, role clarity and work on his game against spin reaped rewards as he put India in a dominant position with his maiden ton and a 150-run stand with his statemate and coffee partner KL Rahul on the opening day of the…
Devdutt Padikkal delivered a sensational debut century in the Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle, marking his maiden Test hundred and a pivotal moment for both himself and the Indian cricket team. Playing after a span of 632 days, Padikkal entered the crease after a chaotic start involving Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul. The Karnataka batter dismissed the new ball with a boundary, danced down the pitch to trouble Prabath Jayasuriya early on, and displayed exceptional footwork against both spin and pace.
The pitch, which offered little assistance to spinners and pacers, allowed Padikkal to remain in control, outscoring his senior partner Rahul with ease. Rahul, who had to retire hurt due to cramps, paired well with Padikkal, allowing him to switch to a zen-like state. With the pitch expected to deteriorate in the coming days, India's best chance to win the Test lies in batting big from the start, a strategy both Padikkal and Rahul executed flawlessly.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Devdutt Padikkal joins Virat Kohli in elite club after historic ton vs Sri Lanka timesofindia.indiatimes.com
- Padikkal's maiden century leads India's dominance cricinfo.com
- Devdutt Padikkal cracks maiden Test hundred for IND vs SL in Galle indianexpress.com
