# Padikkal becomes first Indian No. 3 since Pujara with back-to-back away tons 2026-08-24T10:24:16+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Devdutt Padikkal has become the first Indian No. 3 since Cheteshwar Pujara in 2018-19 to score centuries in consecutive away Test matches. The left-hander followed his 167 in the Galle Test with 117 in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club, cementing his claim to India's most demanding batting position. Padikkal's twin tons showcased his temperament against spin and his ability to dictate the pace of his innings. He added 120 runs with captain Shubman Gill and 74 with Ravindra Jadeja in Colombo. The 24-year-old had earlier won the Player of the Match award for his Galle knock. His consistency, elegant strokeplay and patience under pressure have strengthened his hold on the No. 3 slot, which has been unsettled since Pujara's prime. Padikkal escaped an early chance in the Colombo Test but converted reprieves into a three-figure score, underlining his readiness for international cricket. ## Indian Opinion Analysis India's No. 3 batting position has been a revolving door since Cheteshwar Pujara's peak, with KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and others failing to lock it. Padikkal, 24, emerged from a domestic system that produced him as an opener for Karnataka, and his shift to No. 3 in Tests is a gamble that is paying off. The position demands patience against the new ball and acceleration later, and his twin centuries in Sri Lanka, traditionally a spin-friendly tour, suggest he has the toolkit. His next test will be in seaming conditions in Australia or South Africa, where his technique against swing, particularly his high backlift, could be exposed. Watch if he is retained at No. 3 for the upcoming home series against New Zealand in October 2026. ## Coverage - rediff.com Celebratory tone praising Padikkal's achievement with no criticism or external context This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Cheteshwar Pujara, Devdutt Padikkal, India cricket team, Ravindra Jadeja, Shubman Gill, Sri Lanka Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/padikkal-becomes-first-indian-no-3-since-pujara-with-back-to-back-away-tons/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/padikkal-becomes-first-indian-no-3-since-pujara-with-back-to-back-away-tons/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/