# Pujara backs Padikkal at No. 3, wants Sai Sudharsan in Test squad 2026-08-23T03:11:12+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has backed Devdutt Padikkal as India's No. 3 in Test cricket but said the left-hander must perform consistently in tougher series to cement his place. Speaking ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, Pujara noted that Padikkal was ready for the opportunity after his unbeaten 167 in the first Test, and praised his improvement in technique. Pujara also urged the team management not to overlook Sai Sudharsan, who missed the first Test due to fitness. The Times of India reports Pujara saying Sudharsan must remain in India's Test plans. The Hindu adds that Pujara called for greater faith in spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who went wicketless in Galle. The second Test begins on August 23 at the Sinhalese Sports Club. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both sources report the same Pujara quotes with near-identical framing. The Times of India leads with the No. 3 succession angle and Sudharsan's future, while The Hindu adds the Kuldeep Yadav appeal, giving the piece a broader team-management dimension. Neither outlet questions or adds context to Pujara's views, both treat him as an authoritative former player. The coverage is uniform straight reporting, offering no editorial slant. The key implication for a careful reader is that India's Test batting order beyond the current series remains unsettled, with at least two contenders for No. 3 and management decisions on Kuldeep's role still pending. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Straight reporting of Pujara's quotes, no editorial framing. - thehindu.com (neutral report) Reports Pujara's views plus Kuldeep comment, wire-style coverage. This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-23T09:05:53+00:00. Tags: Cheteshwar Pujara, Devdutt Padikkal, India cricket team, Sai Sudharsan, Sri Lanka Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/pujara-backs-padikkal-at-no-3-wants-sai-sudharsan-in-test-plans/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/pujara-backs-padikkal-at-no-3-wants-sai-sudharsan-in-test-plans/#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/