Padikkal trains with Kookaburra balls and simulated Lankan wickets in Bengaluru ahead of Sri Lanka Tests

Devdutt Padikkal trained in Bengaluru ahead of India's Test series in Sri Lanka, using Kookaburra balls and recreated Sri Lankan-style pitches before travelling to Colombo, and he then remained unbeaten on 142 off 164 against SLC XI as India trailed by six runs at stumps on Day 2 of the warm-up match.

Padikkal last appeared for India in Tests during the 2024 tour of Australia, and India have been searching for a settled No.3 with Sai Sudharsan given an extended run while Karun Nair and Washington Sundar have also been tried. Padikkal responded to national omission with prolific domestic form: 543 runs at an average of 60.33 in six Ranji Trophy matches as Karnataka finished runners-up in 2025-26, 725 runs in nine Vijay Hazare Trophy games, and 464 runs in 16 matches in a title-winning campaign for RCB.

The left-hander received a call-up for the Afghanistan Test but India selected Sudharsan; a subsequent injury to a Tamil Nadu batter opened a place for Padikkal in the Sri Lanka squad. Before departing, Padikkal returned to work with his childhood coach Mohammad Naseeruddin in Bengaluru and sought red-ball preparations after the KSCA Maharaja Trophy T20. "Devdutt approached me after the KSCA Maharaja Trophy T20, where he played only one match because of his India A duties, and wanted to start training with red balls before going to Sri Lanka," Naseeruddin told PTI.

Training with match balls used in Sri Lanka became a deliberate part of the regimen. "It did not matter to him at that time whether he got a place in the eleven or not. He wanted to prepare in the best possible way and be ready if a chance comes his way. So, we started training with normal red balls," Naseeruddin said, adding: "But then we came up with the idea of using Kookaburra balls in training because they are used in Sri Lanka for Tests. So, he bought those balls and we started practising with them."

To simulate Sri Lankan match conditions, Padikkal and Naseeruddin created local surfaces and organised a variety of spinners for extended batting sessions. "We arranged different pitches for our training because he will face more spin there. Apart from pitch that offers turn, we also arranged for different kinds of spinners during our sessions," Naseeruddin said, noting: "We bought in left-arm and off-spinners of various heights and he batted against them for nearly three hours every day. He did not want to leave anything for chance before travelling to Lanka."

Naseeruddin also described technical adjustments made to Padikkal's batting since his last Test outing. "He always had technique and patience to succeed at the Test level, in fact, in all formats. After his last Test against Australia (at Perth in November 2024), he worked on his stance, staying a bit more low, and playing closer to the ball and the results are there for everyone to see," he said.

On Padikkal's temperament and leadership growth, Naseeruddin emphasised patience and decision-making gains from his Karnataka captaincy. "Not at all. As I said he is a patient boy, who is keen to work hard on his game. He clearly knew what areas he needed to work on after that tour to Australia and he did that. You can see the difference now," he said, adding: "He is a more mature cricketer and person now. The captaincy of Karnataka also has done wonders for him because he is now even better at decision making. I had asked him whether he was under any pressure because of captaincy. But he said he's enjoying that responsibility. No burden at all. He makes sure to keep all the pressures and expectations outside the field and focus on his job at hand."

With India seeking consistency at No.3 and aiming to get their World Test Championship hunt back on track, the reinvented Padikkal could be the answer.