Manjrekar: Devdutt Padikkal 'godsent', should keep No.3 spot even if Sai Sudharsan returns
Devdutt Padikkal scored a maiden Test century on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, finishing unbeaten on 131 off 178 balls as India reached 288/2 in 73 overs, and former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar said Padikkal was "godsent" and should remain at No. 3 even when Sai Sudharsan returns. Manjrekar made the remarks to Sony Sports after Padikkal's innings on Day 1.
Padikkal was drafted into the XI after Sudharsan was ruled out with a foot injury and seized his chance immediately, ending India's 20-Test wait for a hundred from the No. 3 position. He began his innings by hitting his first delivery for a boundary and later stepped down the track to loft Prabath Jayasuriya over long-on for six, showing particular comfort against spin on a slow, turning surface.
The left-hander combined solid defence with proactive scoring, using back-foot strokes, sharp singles and boundaries, and deliberate charges down the pitch to keep Sri Lanka's spinners under pressure. His ability to punish anything short or loose in line or length was evident throughout the innings on the rain-affected opening day.
Padikkal added stability after Shubman Gill's early departure for 16, sharing a substantial stand with KL Rahul, who scored 77 before retiring hurt with an arm cramp. Rishabh Pant then joined Padikkal, and the pair consolidated India's control at the crease before rain forced an early close to play.
Reacting to the innings, Manjrekar said: "Devdutt Padikkal was the big change that India had. I really think selection is so good that when you see Padikkal walk in and play spin so comfortably-because he's good in defense against spin, he's good at picking 1s and 2s when the field is slightly deep, and then he's also good at playing attacking shots, and that too off the back foot on slow, turning pitches."
Manjrekar highlighted Padikkal's back-foot play and his willingness to advance, adding: "That's something remarkable. On slow, turning pitches, to hit shots off the back foot with a straight bat and the pull shot tells you that it's somebody who wants to get onto the back foot. And the best way to play spin on a slow, turning pitch is to play the majority of the bowling off the back foot," Manjrekar explained. "Along with that, he's also got this knack of going down the pitch and hitting the ball over the sight screen. So on pitches where there is going to be an emphasis on spin, India should bat him at number 3 even if Sai Sudharsan comes back, because he looks such a formidable player against spin. I think it was godsent for India—Devdutt Padikkal at No. 3 with the kind of spin talent he has."
Padikkal's century represented a marked reversal from his previous Test outing in Perth, where he scored 0 and 25, and it provided India a commanding platform on Day 1. India will look to Padikkal to carry that momentum into Day 2 as they aim to build a massive first-innings total.
