Devdutt Padikkal continued his impressive run in Test cricket on Sunday, scoring another century as India reached 300 for five at the close of play on the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
Padikkal made 117 from 193 deliveries, striking 12 fours during an innings that once again showed his growing comfort in the longest format. It was his second consecutive Test hundred after his 167 in the first innings of the opening Test at Galle.
The left-hander walked in when India needed stability and gradually took control of the innings. Rather than trying to force the pace, Padikkal built his score patiently and grew more fluent as the day progressed. His dismissal late in the day, bowled by Nuwantha, brought an end to another substantial contribution.
Shubman Gill also played an important role, contributing a half-century as India recovered from a difficult start and finished the day in a strong position. At stumps, India had reached 300 for five, leaving the visitors with an opportunity to push towards a sizeable first-innings total when play resumes.
Sri Lanka did manage to keep the Indian batters under pressure at different stages of the day. Asitha Fernando was among their most effective bowlers, but India were able to recover whenever the hosts threatened to take control.
Padikkal’s back-to-back hundreds have become one of the early talking points of the series. His 167 in Galle was followed by another hundred in Colombo, giving him a strong start to what is becoming an important period in his Test career. The consistency is particularly significant because Test cricket demands a different kind of patience from the shorter formats in which young Indian batters often first make their names.
India entered the second Test with a 1-0 lead after their victory in Galle. The Colombo match therefore gives Sri Lanka an immediate chance to level the two-Test series, while India will be looking to turn its strong opening day into another series win.
There is still plenty of cricket left in the match, but India will be satisfied with where they stand after the first day. More importantly, Padikkal has once again given the side the kind of long innings that can change the shape of a Test match.
For a player still establishing himself at this level, two centuries in two consecutive Tests could hardly have come at a better time.
