Devdutt Padikkal scored a well-made century on the second day of India’s one-off warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI at the Nondescripts Cricket Club in Colombo.
Padikkal reached his hundred from 121 balls after hitting a four through midwicket with a pull shot. He had a nervous moment just before reaching the milestone when he was dropped on 99 after Ramesh Mendis got a caught-and-bowled chance. Once he completed his century, Padikkal retired from the innings. He hit 14 fours during his stay at the crease.
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The 26-year-old Karnataka batter has had limited opportunities in Test cricket. He made his Test debut against England in Dharamsala in early 2024 and played only one more Test later that year in Perth, when Rohit Sharma was away on paternity leave.
An injury kept Padikkal out of India’s tour of England. Since then, he has mostly been on the sidelines, waiting for another chance to prove that he belongs in the Test team.
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His recent performances for India A in Sri Lanka have certainly helped his case. Padikkal scored 94, 12 and 67 in the three innings he played.
His century in the warm-up game could now become even more important. B. Sai Sudharsan is racing to recover in time to join the Test squad. If Sudharsan is unable to play in the first Test, Padikkal could be considered as his replacement in the middle order.
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Meanwhile, India captain Shubman Gill has missed out on the warm-up clash after injuring his finger during practice sessions. He will also unlikely to bat.