Padikkal century steadies India as visitors finish Day 1 at 300/5 in Colombo

Devdutt Padikkal scored 117 as India steadied after early setbacks to finish day one of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo on August 23, 2026, ending on 300 for five in 85 overs.

India won the toss and elected to bat; Sri Lanka’s Asitha Fernando finished with 3/46. Early wickets to KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal left India exposed before partnerships and Padikkal’s innings prevented a collapse, though two late wickets gave Sri Lanka some hope.

Padikkal was reprieved on one when captain Dhananjaya de Silva grassed a chance at backward point with the batter on one, and he capitalised thereafter. He brought up his fifty with a pull off Lahiru Kumara, showed patience against good bowling, and reached 117 off 193 balls with 12 fours before Keshara Nuwantha dismissed him when a quicker delivery that turned after pitching beat the outside edge and hit off stump.

Jaiswal’s earlier promising start ended when Asitha Fernando produced one that nipped back, taking an inside edge onto the stumps; the dismissal prompted a tense exchange between Fernando and Jaiswal until Dhananjaya de Silva intervened. KL Rahul, on 18, went for a wide delivery from Kumara, edged through to the wicketkeeper and was out.

Padikkal and Shubman Gill added 120 for the third wicket to rebuild the innings; Gill reached a half-century but fell almost immediately, edging Asitha Fernando through to the wicketkeeper while attempting a push at a ball outside off. Ravindra Jadeja replaced the retiring Rishabh Pant and later made 43 before being dismissed by the second new ball in the final over.

Rishabh Pant was struck on the left forearm, just below the wrist, by a short delivery from Lahiru Kumara; he received treatment, scored three from 15 balls and retired hurt, prompting a medical assessment that saw him later without his pads. Dhruv Jurel (7*) and Saransh Jain (4*) were unbeaten at stumps.

The surface produced increasing assistance for spinners, which Sri Lanka used to their advantage late in the day. With Padikkal dismissed shortly before the second new ball, Sri Lanka will have the harder ball and a pitch offering more turn to attack India’s lower order.

India will aim to add substantially to their first-innings total to place themselves in a position to bat only once, while Sri Lanka will be keen to wrap up India’s lower order quickly; the best batting conditions at the SSC are generally expected to come on day two.