Now Reading: Devdutt Padikkal scores second Test century, breaks Dravid record
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Devdutt Padikkal scores second Test century, breaks Dravid record
Devdutt Padikkal scored his second Test century in as many matches, making 117 on the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. The 26-year-old left-handed batter reached three figures in 168 balls at the Sinhalese Sports Club, building on his 167 in the series opener at Galle. He now has 328 runs in the two-match series.
Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle called it "a very different kind of century," praising Padikkal for displaying patience and temperament after early luck. Indian batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said the batter’s intent and preparation were good signs for the team. Padikkal was playing his first match since the Perth Test in November 2024 after replacing the injured Sai Sudharsan.
Padikkal set multiple records. He is the first visiting number-three batter to hit two centuries in a two-Test series in Sri Lanka, surpassing Stephen Fleming’s mark of 307 runs. He also broke Rahul Dravid’s 27-year-old record for most runs by an Indian in an away series of two or fewer Tests, and is only the seventh Indian to score multiple centuries in a series in Sri Lanka.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Times Now's two articles on Devdutt Padikkal's century show a sharp divide within a single outlet. One piece leads with Harsha Bhogle's praise for Padikkal's "patience" and "temperament," framing the innings as a character-building comeback for India. The other leads with record-breaking statistics, framing Padikkal as a history-maker who eclipsed Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. Both avoid critical scrutiny of Padikkal's early luck or the quality of the Sri Lankan attack. The measured view is that Padikkal has seized his chance with consistent runs, but whether he can replicate this against stronger sides is the real test. Watch his form in the next away series against a top-tier team.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): timesnownews.com (neutral report), timesnownews.com (2) (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
