Devdutt Padikkal scored his first Test century during the ongoing first Test match against Sri Lanka. This achievement marks the realization of a long-held aspiration for the left-handed batter. Padikkal attributed his success to two years of dedicated preparation, which equipped him to capitalize on his opportunity at the international level.
Starting from an overnight score of 131, Padikkal hit a career-best monumental 167 against Sri Lanka on a rain-marred second day at the Galle International Stadium. For the last two years, I’ve been working really hard to try and make sure that when I get that opportunity, I can do something special like this, and I’m really happy to do that,” Padikkal said in a chat with broadcasters at the end of day two’s play, where India reached 460/9. True to the rich batting lineage of his home state Karnataka, Padikkal did not throw his wicket away after reaching the three-figure mark and converted it into a 150-plus score to help India post 460/9. I just enjoy batting out there, and the moment you get to 100, it’s easy to relax and feel that relief. But it’s important that for me, the next 20-30 balls are the really important phase that I try and make sure that I’m completely focused, completely there.
Shedding light on his ability to bat long, Padikkal said the key lies in surviving the immediate aftermath of reaching a milestone. “Definitely. I’ve dreamt of this moment. “I think honestly, it’s just the hunger to score more runs.
His assured footwork – playing fully forward or rocking completely back – was a standout feature of his innings. When pointed out that it reflected immense confidence in his pick-up of lengths, he agreed.
