Padikkal century steers India to 300-5 on opening day in Colombo
Devdutt Padikkal scored 117 as India reached 300 for five on the opening day of the second and final Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Sunday. Rishabh Pant retired hurt after being struck on the forearm by Lahiru Kumara, and India closed with Dhruv Jurel unbeaten on seven and debutant Saransh Jain on four.
Padikkal, drafted at No. 3 in place of Sai Sudharsan for the series, has now accumulated 328 runs in three innings at an average of 109.33 with scores of 167, 44 and 117, and he had an unbeaten century in the warm-up game. The SSC surface offered extra bounce and movement, forcing India to rebuild after regular wicket losses, and Padikkal’s innings provided stability when others found the conditions testing.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for 45 by Asitha Fernando in the first session after Fernando conceded three boundaries in the over, and the two men exchanged words and contact as Jaiswal began walking back to the pavilion. The helmet touched Fernando’s forehead and there was a push before Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva and other players intervened; former India all-rounder Ajay Jadeja warned the opener with the line, ‘If you can’t take it back, don’t say it’.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers maintained disciplined lines, used short deliveries and exploited movement off the pitch throughout the day. Lahiru Kumara was influential — he accounted for Rahul and struck both Pant and Ravindra Jadeja — while Asitha Fernando provided the breakthroughs of Jaiswal and Shubman Gill and later dismissed Jadeja.
Padikkal reached his half-century from 90 balls and moved to three figures by driving Prabath Jayasuriya to the boundary for 99 before nudging a spinner to long-on for a single two balls later. He was dropped on zero and on one but made use of those reprieves until Keshara Nuwantha pushed one through his defence and bowled him for 117, having guided India through a testing period after Pant’s retirement and Jadeja’s blow to the forearm.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill had earlier added 120 for the third wicket, with Gill making 50; Jaiswal was beaten by a nip-backer from Fernando and Gill edged Fernando through to Niroshan Dickwella. Jadeja and Padikkal combined for a 74-run fourth-wicket stand before Fernando found a way through Jadeja’s defence.
India will resume on the second day at 300 for five with Dhruv Jurel unbeaten on seven and Saransh Jain on four, Padikkal having provided the principal resistance on a day that featured multiple injuries and on-field confrontations.
