A long road back: Devdutt Padikkal makes his second chance count in Tests

There was a quiet sense of unfinished business when Devdutt Padikkal walked out to bat in Galle. On a flat, forgiving surface, he finally delivered on the promise that had followed him since his early days. A slight push down the ground. A quick single and a leap off the surface before the helmet came off in India whites. Padikkal had dreamt of this moment for a long time: to play Test cricket for India and to score a Test century.

It all came true at Galle as the Karnataka batter cruised to a century, putting India in command on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka. Padikkal, Test cap No. 314, now has a Test hundred next to his name after India finished on 288/2 when stumps were drawn on a rain-affected day. His unbeaten 131 was more than a personal landmark. It was the reward for years of work done well away from the spotlight.

IND vs SL, 1st Test Day 1 Highlights | Scorecard

The road here has not been easy. Padikkal made his Test debut on March 7, 2024, and played his second Test that November before waiting for another chance with the Indian team.

He had caught the eye of chief selector Ajit Agarkar with a century for Karnataka against Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy, earning a Test call-up. He debuted at No. 4 when Shubman Gill wanted to bat at No. 3, then moved up to No. 3 when Gill was unavailable in Perth. After that, he spent nearly two years waiting on the sidelines.

To understand what this innings meant, rewind to 2021. Padikkal made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka looking like one of India's most promising young batters. What followed was a difficult period. A severe bout of COVID-19, followed by a persistent stomach condition, disrupted his career for nearly two years. He lost weight, lost his rhythm and endured difficult IPL seasons with Rajasthan Royals in 2022 and 2023. Every time he started to build some momentum, another setback followed.

Even after fighting his way into the Test squad in March 2024, the returns were lean, with just 90 runs across his first two Tests. The Galle century, coming in only his third Test innings, was the breakthrough he had been waiting for.

THE REBUILD AT THE NCA

This was not a sudden turnaround. Padikkal's resurgence was built through careful work at the BCCI's National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak was pleased with the way that preparation had translated into runs.

"I am so happy for him because he was actually waiting for his opportunity. The way he played here and in the warm-up match, it's really encouraging."

Kotak also spoke about the technical work Padikkal had put in.

"The way Devdutt was preparing, and I saw it at the NCA, he was working on his back-foot game. We try that when we expect turn from a pitch. We also worked on stepping out and the sweep, besides the back-foot game. A lot of credit goes to him for how he's prepared himself over the last couple of years."

That work was evident in Galle. Padikkal repeatedly used the depth of the crease against Sri Lanka's spinners and stepped out when the opportunity presented itself. He charged Prabath Jayasuriya and lofted the left-arm spinner over long-on for six, while the sweep gave him another option against the spin.

CAPTAINCY CHANGED HIM

Leadership played its own part in the turnaround. Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad, who was part of the selection panel that backed Padikkal for Karnataka captaincy in January, believes the responsibility brought out another side of the batter.

“In the last season, the domestic season I’m talking about, where he was given the captaincy, or handed over the captaincy, probably, I think, in January, I suppose, because I was part of that decision-making.

And when he was handed over the captaincy, it was a crucial game in the domestic match when they were playing against Punjab. And from there onwards, he scored a hundred, won the game, qualified for the knockouts.

And from there onwards, he carried on that momentum, scoring hundreds in domestic, then got into the IPL, carried on his form, and here he is now.

“Well, it is important for the baton to be given to a youngster. And I think he suited that role extremely well. Nobody had seen his leadership ability.

So then, having given the captaincy, and the way he took on the responsibility as a captain and as a batter, I think that was fabulous. That was incredible. And I think from there onwards, I think he has just gone from strength to strength.”

HE WAS READY WHEN CALLED

Padikkal's place in the XI had not been guaranteed. He was initially expected to miss out, but an injury to Sai Sudharsan opened the door. Padikkal had already made a strong case with India A in Sri Lanka, including an unbeaten 142 in a three-day warm-up match at the NCC Ground in Colombo.

Told to stay match-ready, he got his chance sooner than expected when an early mix-up between Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul brought him to the middle. He looked comfortable from the first ball.

He reached his century in the post-tea session, punching the air as head coach Gautam Gambhir watched from the balcony. The hundred also settled a troublesome No. 3 spot. Padikkal became the first Indian batter since Shubman Gill against Bangladesh in 2024 to score a Test century from that position.

A RESPONSE TO INDIA'S SPIN CONCERNS

Walking in at No. 3 after Jaiswal was run out for 32, Padikkal drove his first delivery for four and quickly settled into his innings. He defended when he had to, but was just as quick to put away anything loose. Sri Lanka's spinners found little help from the surface, and Padikkal used the crease well to keep them under pressure.

He came down the track to Jayasuriya and lofted him over long-on for six, forcing Sri Lanka to push a fielder back. The left-hander was also happy to wait for the ball to come on and work deliveries towards the leg side. He had 21 from 23 balls before the innings settled into a more measured phase.

There were a few testing moments against the turn. Padikkal was squared up on occasions, including one delivery from Nuwantha that took the edge but fell short. For the most part, though, he remained in control and kept the scoreboard moving.

After reaching his fifty, he continued to pick off loose deliveries. A boundary through cover off Jayasuriya helped him find his rhythm again, while successive fours took him into the 90s. He reached his maiden international century with a shot through the off side, completing the hundred from 134 balls.

Rahul's presence at the other end also helped Padikkal settle. After the first rain break, Asitha Fernando bowled a testing spell, but the pair saw it through before the conditions eased. By the time Padikkal reached three figures, he had given India exactly what they needed from their new No. 3: time at the crease, runs on the board and control of the game.

NOW COMES THE BIG QUESTION

Padikkal's hundred leaves India with a selection call to make when Sai Sudharsan returns to fitness. Kotak stressed that the team has flexibility when it comes to batting positions.

"Devdutt batted really well, but Sai has also been batting really well at that spot. The thing is, they're all new-ball batsmen: they open, they go No. 3, so we're flexible. I look at how they adapt to conditions and handle different stages of a match, rather than fixing them to a number."

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar, however, believes Padikkal should keep the No. 3 spot, particularly on pitches where spin is expected to dominate.

"He's got this knack of going down the pitch and hitting the ball over the sight screen. On pitches where there's an emphasis on spin, India should bat him at No. 3 even if Sudharsan comes back, he looks such a formidable player against spin. It was godsent for India, Padikkal at No. 3 with the kind of spin talent he has."

Padikkal doesn't need to settle that debate today. He has already done the harder thing: made himself impossible to ignore.

After the illness, the poor form and the long wait for another opportunity, he returned to the Test side and produced an innings that could change how he is viewed.

Whatever India decide when Sudharsan returns, this is no longer the tentative batter who struggled through 2022 and 2023. Padikkal fought for his second chance. In Galle, he finally made it count.