India batter Devdutt Padikkal scripted a significant milestone on Saturday as he scored his maiden Test century during the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium, ending day 1 unbeaten on 131 off 178 balls.
Padikkal Achieves Historic Test Century
Devdutt Padikkal has made history by becoming only the second left-handed Indian batter this century to score a Test century while batting at No. 3. His remarkable achievement follows in the footsteps of former captain Sourav Ganguly, who scored 136 against Zimbabwe in Delhi in 2002. This milestone highlights Padikkal’s growing prominence in the Indian cricket landscape.
Before the Test, Padikkal had also impressed in India’s warm-up fixture against Sri Lanka XI, where he scored an unbeaten 142 off 164 deliveries. 3. Seven batters had occupied the position across 19 Tests since Shubman Gill last scored a Test century at No, according to the supplied report. 3 against Bangladesh in September 2024. The pair added 150 runs before Rahul was forced to retire hurt after suffering cramps during the final session. Rahul had reached 77 and initially attempted to continue before leaving the field after his discomfort worsened. Padikkal remained unbeaten on 84 when Rahul retired hurt and later went on to complete his maiden Test century. However, Gill was dismissed for 16 by Prabath Jayasuriya, according to the supplied report. 3 batter as the team begins its two-Test series against Sri Lanka.
His century in Galle therefore marked another strong performance and strengthened his case for a longer run at No. The position has remained an area of concern for India since Cheteshwar Pujara’s retirement. Padikkal also played a key role in India’s second-wicket partnership with vice-captain KL Rahul. India captain Shubman Gill joined Padikkal at the crease after Rahul’s departure. The hundred came in only Padikkal’s third red-ball outing for India, making the achievement even more significant for the Karnataka batter. Padikkal’s latest performance could now provide India with an important answer to their search for a reliable No.
