Devdutt Padikkal celebrates his century on day one of many second Check match between India and Sri Lanka, in Colombo, on August 23, 2026.
| Photograph Credit score: PTI
In a metropolis the place Sir Don Bradman batted in 1948, Devdutt Padikkal carved his personal house in batting heaven. Colombo again then was the transit port for ship-bound Ashes cricketers, and whereas Bradman performed on the P. Sara Oval, Padikkal discovered his favorite turf within the Sinhalese Sports activities Membership Floor.
Padikkal’s second hundred of the sequence, was the backbone that held the Indian first innings collectively. After electing to bat, India was seemingly misplaced in a medley of runs and comfortable dismissals earlier than the Bengalurean stepped up and supplied ballast. At shut on the opening day of the second Check, Shubman Gill’s males scored 300 for 5 in opposition to Sri Lanka.
Strolling in after Okay.L. Rahul was dismissed within the eleventh over, Padikkal had his preliminary slivers of luck in a batting tenure that stretched from the primary session to the third and last one. He shared a 120-run third-wicket alliance with skipper Gill, and stored the scoreboard ticking.
It was a partnership that was each sedate and trendy. Gill pulled and drove left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya whereas Padikkal tucked into speedster Lahiru Kumara. The appropriate-left mix of Gill and Padikkal unsettled the Sri Lankans. Padikkal additionally relished the width at instances supplied by Prabath and off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha, and the rasping minimize was instantly employed.
As soon as the person fifties had been registered, Gill in a second of poor judgement tried to information one previous the slips and fell to seamer Asitha Fernando. India was on 187 for 3 at tea, with Padikkal being the adhesive.
Within the final session, Rishabh Pant copped a blow on his wrist and left, and Ravindra Jadeja allied with Padikkal. There was a serenity to the style wherein Padikkal batted, nudging singles and placing the odd 4.
Shubman Gill raises his bat after scoring a fifty on Day 1 of the second Check cricket match in opposition to Sri Lanka on the Sinhalese Sports activities Membership, in Colombo
| Photograph Credit score:
ANI
Quickly the century was acquired; the celebration, although, was muted when in comparison with the extra expansive gestures at Galle final week. And when he (117) misplaced his timber to Nuwantha, most rival fielders ran to pat his again. Later, because the shadows lengthened, Jadeja shouldered arms to the brand new ball and Asitha clipped the stumps.
Earlier, in a straightforward Sunday morning (August 23, 2026) with a languid air, blazing solar and fewer visitors, Gill gained the toss and opted to bat. Yashasvi Jaiswal dug out the match’s first ball, a yorker from Asitha, after which drove with ease. Whereas Jaiswal etched streaky fours, Rahul cover-drove Asitha.
Captain Dhananjaya de Silva employed Prabath, and the spinner was pushed by Jaiswal and Rahul hoisted a six. Nevertheless, Rahul performed an uncharacteristic slash in opposition to Kumara, and edged.
Yashasvi Jaiswal confronts Sri Lanka’s Asitha Fernando after his dismissal throughout the first day of the second Check cricket match between Sri Lanka and India on the Sinhalese Sports activities Membership Floor in Colombo
| Photograph Credit score:
AFP
Padikkal walked in and had two fortunate breaks as sharp catches eluded Sonal Dinusha and Dhananjaya. Simply as he settled in, Jaiswal remained his merry-self. The opener pinched three fours from an Asitha over earlier than getting castled by the seamer.
Phrases had been exchanged, Jaiswal and Asitha bought too shut for consolation earlier than sanity prevailed and the batter left. Subsequent-man Gill and Padikkal anchored India to 88 for 2 at lunch, a rating that discovered incremental development.
Revealed – August 23, 2026 09:55 am IST
