Devdutt Padikkal scores 211 as India dominates Sri Lanka in Galle Test

Devdutt Padikkal marked his return to Test cricket with a commanding performance, scoring 167 in the first innings and 44 in the second to help India establish a dominant position against Sri Lanka in the first Test at Galle. The left-hander’s match aggregate of 211 runs fell just five runs short of Rahul Dravid’s record for the highest score by an Indian number three against Sri Lanka, set in 2009.

Padikkal, who was playing his first Test in nearly two years after being called up as a replacement for the injured Sai Sudharsan, emphasized that the longest format remains his primary focus. “I think I have always been aware that Test cricket is my ultimate goal,” he said at a post-day press conference. He explained that he makes subtle adjustments to his batting setup to transition between white-ball and red-ball cricket, noting that the mental shift is challenging but something he has worked to improve.

His innings were pivotal in building India’s substantial lead. After India posted 462 in their first innings, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 284, with Sonal Dinusha scoring a maiden Test century. India then extended their advantage in the second innings, setting Sri Lanka a target...