The opening day of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium saw India assert significant dominance, largely thanks to a magnificent maiden Test century from Devdutt Padikkal. Playing his first Test match since November 2024, Padikkal’s impressive knock helped India reach a commanding 288 for 2 wickets in 73 overs when bad light and rain brought an early close to play on Saturday.
Having won the toss and elected to bat in their 600th Test match, India got off to a fluent start. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored 32 runs, and vice-captain KL Rahul laid a solid foundation. Rahul was particularly impactful, reaching 77 runs before retiring hurt in the final session due to cramps, a setback for the Indian side. However, the momentum was sustained and then amplified by Padikkal.
Padikkal looked poised for a substantial score from the outset, executing his shots with confidence, especially off the back foot. He demonstrated excellent footwork and effective use of the crease, frequently pushing for quick singles and doubles. His innings, a brilliant 131 not out from 178 balls, was adorned with 12 fours and a six. At stumps, he was joined by Rishabh Pant, who was unbeaten on 27 from 36 balls, signaling India’s intent to accumulate a massive first-innings total. Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled with consistency in their lines and lengths, which undoubtedly aided the Indian batters.
Padikkal’s century was achieved in style during the final session. After Rahul’s unfortunate retirement, Padikkal accelerated his scoring alongside captain Shubman Gill. Facing pacer Lahiru Kumara, Padikkal struck consecutive boundaries. He then elegantly drove Keshara Nuwantha to mid-off in the 57th over, bringing up his century off just 134 balls. This remarkable achievement made Padikkal the first left-handed batter since Sourav Ganguly in 2002 to score a Test hundred at number three for India, and he fully capitalized on his opportunity, having been included in the squad due to the injury of Sai Sudharsan. It also marked the first century by an Indian batter at number three since Gill himself scored one against Bangladesh in Chennai in September 2024.
Despite Padikkal’s brilliance, Sri Lanka did manage one breakthrough in the session. Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya induced an error from Shubman Gill, who, after hitting two elegant boundaries, attempted to loft a flighted delivery but sliced it to mid-off, departing for 16 runs.
Following Gill’s dismissal, Rishabh Pant immediately adopted an aggressive approach against the Sri Lankan spinners. After a brief period of settling in, Pant launched Jayasuriya over wide long-on for a six and followed it with a slogged four. He then lofted and pulled Keshara Nuwantha for two more boundaries, forming an unbroken 52-run third-wicket partnership with Padikkal. Play was briefly interrupted for 20 minutes due to a short rain shower, but upon resumption, the Indian batters continued to capitalize on Sri Lanka’s erratic bowling. Padikkal, in particular, showcased his range, executing fine sweeps against Nuwantha and pulling Dhananjaya de Silva through mid-wicket, to remain undefeated on 131. The strong performance highlights India’s formidable batting lineup and sets a challenging target for the opposition in this crucial Test match.
