- Karn Sharma retires from international and Indian domestic cricket at 38.
- He represented India in one Test, two ODIs and one T20I.
- Sharma won four IPL titles during his career and will play his final professional match on August 25.
Devdutt Padikkal continued his remarkable run in Test cricket, scoring his second successive century against Sri Lanka during the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Sunday.
The left-hander followed up his career-best 167 in the first Test in Galle with another composed hundred, putting India in a commanding position on Day 1.
Padikkal's latest hundred further underlined his growing importance to India's Test batting line-up.
Having returned to the side after a lengthy gap, the 26-year-old has made the most of his opportunity at No. 3 and has now converted centuries in consecutive Tests against Sri Lanka.
Padikkal Continues Dream Run
Padikkal walked out to bat after India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early in the innings. He then formed a crucial partnership with captain Shubman Gill to steady India's innings.
The Karnataka batter displayed tremendous composure against Sri Lanka's bowlers, particularly on a surface that was expected to become slower as the Test progressed.
After reaching his half-century, Padikkal continued to accelerate and eventually brought up his second Test century. He reached the landmark off 168 deliveries, adding another memorable chapter to his rapidly developing Test career.
The century came after Padikkal had scored 167 in Galle, where he registered his maiden Test hundred and was subsequently named Player of the Match.
India In Complete Control
Padikkal's century has put India firmly in control of the second Test India won the toss and elected to bat first at the SSC, with Shubman Gill backing his batters to make the most of what appeared to be a good batting surface.
Gill himself contributed with a half-century before falling, but Padikkal ensured India's innings continued to progress smoothly.
The left-hander's partnership with the Indian middle order has given the visitors the platform to post a huge first-innings total and put pressure on Sri Lanka.
Back-To-Back Hundreds Against Sri Lanka
Padikkal's two centuries have come in contrasting conditions but with the same level of assurance.
In Galle, he scored a magnificent 167, helping India reach 460/9 declared and eventually secure a 165-run victory.
In Colombo, he has once again demonstrated his ability to play long innings and counter Sri Lanka's bowling attack.
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His back-to-back hundreds also strengthen his case for a permanent place in India's Test middle order. Captain Gill had previously praised Padikkal's consistency and ability to convert starts into substantial scores after his performance in the first Test.
India entered the Colombo Test with a 1-0 lead after their convincing victory in Galle and are looking to complete a 2-0 series sweep.
The visitors also made one change to their playing XI, with Saransh Jain making his Test debut in place of Kuldeep Yadav, who was unavailable after failing to fully recover from a viral infection.
With Padikkal producing another hundred and India's top order putting together a strong batting effort, Sri Lanka now face the challenge of finding a way back into the contest.