# Padikkal saves Rahul with DRS, India set 372-run target 2026-08-18T10:54:02+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets KL Rahul was saved by Devdutt Padikkal's suggestion to review an LBW decision during India's second innings in the first Test against Sri Lanka. Rahul initially walked back after being given out off Prabhath Jayasuriya's bowling. Padikkal, at the non-striker's end, urged a review. DRS showed the ball would have missed the stumps, and Rahul was reprieved. The India vice-captain then hugged Padikkal and made a playful kissing gesture. India set Sri Lanka a target of 372 runs to win after declaring their second innings at 193. Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar earlier took seven wickets between them to bowl Sri Lanka out for 284 in their first innings. Padikkal scored a maiden Test century, 167 runs, in India's first-innings total of 462. Asitha Fernando claimed a four-wicket haul for Sri Lanka in the second innings. Rain interrupted play on day four with India in control. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Timesnownews leads with a viral player interaction, while Gulfnews sticks to match reporting. The light-hearted moment between Padikkal and Rahul is the centrepiece for one outlet, the other treats it as a routine cricket update. The measured take: the incident is a minor human-interest detail, not the story of the day. India's commanding 372-run target and the Test series context matter more. Watch for Sri Lanka's chase on day five. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 1 neutral, 1 sensationalist - timesnownews.com (sensationalist) Leads with a humorous player reaction, frames the DRS review as a 'hilarious' moment - gulfnews.com (neutral report) Reports the match progress without focusing on the player interaction This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-20T05:21:54+00:00. Tags: Devdutt Padikkal, Galle International Stadium, India cricket team, KL Rahul, Sri Lanka, World Test Championship Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/padikkal-saves-rahul-vice-captain-reacts-with-kiss-gesture/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/padikkal-saves-rahul-vice-captain-reacts-with-kiss-gesture/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports 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. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/