Indian batter Devdutt Padikkal has carved his name into cricketing history, achieving a remarkable milestone by becoming only the second Indian cricketer to notch up an international century on the significant occasion of Independence Day, August 15th. This extraordinary feat unfolded during the inaugural Test match against Sri Lanka at the picturesque Galle International Cricket Stadium. Padikkal’s masterful century, struck from the crucial No. 3 position, proved instrumental in India’s commanding performance on the opening day of the match.
Prior to Padikkal’s stellar performance, the illustrious Virat Kohli held the sole distinction of being the only Indian batter to achieve an international century on August 15th. Kohli accomplished this five years earlier in 2019, delivering an unbeaten knock of 114 runs from just 99 balls against the West Indies in a One Day International. Padikkal now shares this exclusive club with Kohli, but his achievement carries an even more unique distinction. He has the honor of being the very first Indian to record a Test century on Independence Day, adding another layer of significance to his already impressive accomplishment.
Padikkal’s opportunity arose after Sai Sudharsan was unfortunately sidelined due to injury, thrusting him into the pivotal No. 3 spot. The left-handed batsman seized this chance with both hands, delivering a fluent and confident innings against the challenging spin attack of Sri Lanka. By the close of play on Day 1, Padikkal remained undefeated on a superb 131 runs, guiding India to a strong total of 288/2 after 73 overs. This century also marked the end of India’s protracted wait for a Test hundred from the No. 3 position, a void that had been noticeable for some time. The last Indian to achieve this particular milestone was Shubman Gill, who registered a century against Bangladesh in Chennai back in September 2024.
Furthermore, Padikkal’s hundred places him in another elite category: he is only the second Indian left-handed batter in the 21st century to score a Test century from the No. 3 spot. The first to achieve this was former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who scored 136 runs against Zimbabwe in Delhi in 2002. Looking at the broader historical context, Padikkal becomes the sixth Indian left-hander overall to score a Test hundred from the No. 3 position. The legendary Vinod Kambli leads this particular list with an impressive four centuries, followed by Sourav Ganguly with three. Other notable names who have achieved this feat once include Salim Durani, Bapu Nadkarni, Ajit Wadekar, Eknath Solkar, and Surinder Amarnath, and now, Devdutt Padikkal. His remarkable performance underscores his talent and his ability to perform under pressure on the grand stage of international cricket.
