Devdutt Padikkal shows he is the latest favorite for India’s No.3 spot with century across formats
· Sports · Indian Express, Cricbuzz
Devdutt Padikkal posted an assured 117 to further cement his status as India’s new No. 3 batter, leading his team to 300/5 on Day 1 of Colombo Test against Sri Lanka. The 26-year-old Padikkal becomes the first India batter since 2020 to amass three scores of 50+ in the same Test match. After smashing 167 in Galle last week, Padikkal faced a fierce challenge at the SSC, with Sri Lanka’s pacers targeting him early with short balls. He got a second and third life, making it to 117 with two boundaries and a six.
Why it matters
Padikkal’s twin-50s streak bodes well for India’s succession planning, as Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane move closer towards fielder-long retirement.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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