Devdutt Padikkal continued his impressive form with a resilient 117 to help India reach 300 for five at the close of play on the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Sunday. Playing only his fourth Test match and a late injury replacement for the series, Padikkal has made a strong claim for a permanent spot in the middle order, following his standout performances in the first Test where he scored 167 and 44, earning the Man of the Match as India secured a 165-run victory in Galle.
Batting first, India’s innings was tested early as Padikkal survived two critical moments within the opening overs—initially dropped at backward point before scoring, and then again at slip when Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva failed to hold a catch on two runs. Showing patience and determination on a pitch that offered bounce and movement, Padikkal built his innings steadily, reaching his half-century off 90 balls and eventually converting it to a century with a single nudged to the boundary. He shared a significant partnership of 120 runs with captain Shubman Gill, who himself contributed a solid 50 after moving down to number four following his appointment as captain.
India’s top order also included opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored 45 before being dismissed by Sri Lanka's seamer Asitha Fernando, the most successful bowler of the innings with figures of 3-46. Fernando also took the wickets of Gill and Ravindra Jadeja, the latter bowled after an aggressive shot. Jadeja added 43 runs to the total. Meanwhile, debutant off-spinner Saransh Jain remained unbeaten on four alongside Dhruv Jurel, who was seven not out at stumps.
India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak remarked that while a couple of players got starts but failed to maximize their opportunities, the team was generally satisfied with the position they had reached by the end of the day’s play.
Sri Lanka's fast bowling coach Ryan van Niekerk expressed satisfaction with the seamers’ performance, highlighting their ability to create chances and pose difficulties for the Indian batters. Sri Lanka made a couple of changes from the first Test, handing opening batter Kamil Mishara his debut and including Pasindu Sooriyabandara, who had previously featured as a concussion substitute.
The day’s play saw 85 overs completed out of the scheduled 90, with India absorbing early pressure to establish a platform that looks promising for the rest of the match. Rishabh Pant, India’s wicketkeeper, was forced to retire hurt after being struck on the forearm attempting a pull shot, leaving India with a slightly weakened batting lineup moving into the next session.