Devdutt Padikkal’s remarkable unbeaten knock of 131 runs from 178 deliveries against Sri Lanka on Saturday marked a significant milestone beyond simply being his inaugural Test century. This stellar performance heralded another triumphant chapter in the journey of the resilient 26-year-old cricketer, who endured a lengthy 632-day wait for his subsequent appearance representing India.
Padikkal’s career trajectory has been characterized by such powerful comebacks. Following a somewhat modest showing of 119 runs across five matches in the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he quickly rebounded with an impressive tally of 465 runs at an average of 155 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His stellar form continued into the Ranji Trophy, where he amassed 556 runs at an outstanding average of 92.66, which included three centuries. The past eight months, in particular, have been exceptionally productive for Padikkal. Appointed as the captain of Karnataka in January, he scored 543 runs at an average of 60.33 in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, contributing two more hundreds to his impressive record. His back-to-back Indian Premier League (IPL) titles with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have also enriched his experience, notably offering him the invaluable opportunity to collaborate with cricketing legend Virat Kohli.
Making his first Test appearance since November 2024 in Perth, Padikkal etched his name into history by becoming the first Indian batter to score a Test century on Independence Day. This achievement also ended a substantial 19-Test and 35-innings drought for a number 3 batsman’s century. Having already scored an unbeaten century in the preceding warm-up game, Padikkal commenced his innings with palpable confidence, deftly hitting debutant off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha for a boundary before powerfully launching Prabhat Jayasuriya over long-on for a six. His exceptional ability to utilize the crease, play effectively off the back foot, and aggressively attack spin bowling was particularly evident on the slow, turning pitch at Galle.
Former Indian cricketer and astute commentator Sanjay Manjrekar lauded Padikkal as a “godsend for India” in facing spin bowling. Manjrekar highlighted Padikkal’s solid defensive technique, his knack for rotating the strike, and his effective attacking shots as qualities that make him ideally suited for challenging turning tracks. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak attributed Padikkal’s success to his meticulous preparation, revealing that the player had dedicated extensive time at the BCCI Centre of Excellence to refine his back-foot game, practice stepping out, and master various sweep shots.
Kotak expressed his delight, stating, “I am so happy for him because he was actually waiting for his chance. The way he played here and in the warmup match, it’s really encouraging. We tried to work on step-out, sweep besides the back-foot game. A lot of credit goes to him, the way he has prepared himself for the last couple of years.” Padikkal’s recent century has significantly bolstered his claim for a sustained run at the crucial number 3 position, even when Sai Sudharsan makes his anticipated return from a toe injury. Manjrekar firmly believes that Padikkal’s proven proficiency against spin bowling makes him a formidable candidate to retain this pivotal batting spot. “On pitches where there is going to be an emphasis on spin, India should bat him at number 3 even if Sai Sudharsan comes back, because he looks such a formidable player against spin,” Manjrekar affirmed, underscoring Padikkal’s immense value to the team.
