Devdutt Padikkal hits maiden ton, India coach praises back foot work

Devdutt Padikkal scored an unbeaten 131 to steer India to 288/2 on the first day of the Test against Sri Lanka on Saturday. India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said the Karnataka batter worked hard on his back foot game, which proved decisive on a turning pitch. "Preparation, I would say, overall the way Devdutt was preparing and I saw it in the NCA. He was working on his back foot game," Kotak told reporters after the day's play, as reported by sports.ndtv.com and newindianexpress.com.

Padikkal, playing his first match at No. 3 after B Sai Sudharsan was ruled out of the tour, used the back foot and also stepped out to spinners. His six off left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya over long-on drew special mention from Kotak. "I am so happy for him because he was actually waiting for his opportunity," the coach added. KL Rahul, who made 77, left the field with cramps but Kotak said he was fine and should be ready to bat on day two, the newindianexpress.com reported.