India produced a commanding batting performance on the opening day of their Test series against Sri Lanka, reaching 288 for 2 in 73 overs in Galle. Devdutt Padikkal, playing just his third Test, struck his maiden century and remained unbeaten on 131.
Padikkal’s composed innings delighted head coach Gautam Gambhir, who had faced pressure in recent times and was seen celebrating from the dressing room. KL Rahul was unbeaten on 77 before retiring hurt after tea due to cramps. Rishabh Pant then joined Padikkal at the crease and stayed there until the close of play.
Rain interruptions meant only 73 overs were bowled, with play ending at 6 pm local time after 17 overs were lost.
Sri Lanka’s premier spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who has often troubled visiting teams in Galle, struggled to break the partnership between the two Indian batters. Padikkal and Rahul put together 150 runs for the second wicket.
Jayasuriya did dismiss India captain Shubman Gill for 16, but he was the only Indian batter to fall to spin on the opening day. Yashasvi Jaiswal had earlier been run out for 32 despite looking comfortable at the crease.
NEW SPIN SPECIALIST?
Padikkal and Rahul complemented each other effectively throughout their partnership. Rahul adopted a cautious approach, concentrating on defending against the spinners, while Padikkal played with greater freedom.
The left-hander repeatedly used his feet and the crease, advancing down the pitch against the spinners and also moving onto the back foot to play the ball late.
India’s struggles against spin had been a major talking point before the series. Their batters have struggled against visiting spinners over the past two years, including during historic home-series defeats against New Zealand and South Africa.
That placed additional pressure on captain Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir, particularly with Sri Lanka having traditionally provided challenging conditions for visiting teams.
Padikkal, however, produced a disciplined yet aggressive display in Galle. The pitch had a slightly heavier grass covering than usual, while batting conditions remained relatively favourable and the spinners did not consistently extract turn.
Although there was some sharp turn available, the surface played well on the first day. The conditions were ideal for batting, but Padikkal and Rahul still had to make the most of them.
Padikkal became the first Indian No. 3 batter in two years and 38 innings to score a Test century.
India took control after captain Gill won the toss and elected to bat. A mix-up ended what had been a promising opening partnership, bringing Padikkal together with Rahul.
Padikkal, who made his Test debut in 2024, had not featured in another Test since November that year. His desire to prove himself was evident, while his confidence was evident from his strong performances in domestic cricket for Karnataka and in the IPL for RCB.
He carried his form from the previous week in Colombo into the Test, showing excellent judgement in his shot selection.
Padikkal immediately put pressure on the Sri Lankan spinners, dancing down the pitch to hit Jayasuriya for a six and refusing to let loose deliveries go unpunished.
He also quickly shifted onto the back foot to collect singles and twos, preventing Sri Lanka’s four spinners from settling into a rhythm.
MANJREKAR IMPRESSED
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar was among those impressed by Padikkal’s assured approach against spin.
Manjrekar praised the selection of Padikkal, highlighting his ability to defend against spin, rotate the strike when fielders are positioned deep and play effectively off the back foot on slow-turning surfaces. He also pointed to Padikkal’s ability to advance down the pitch and hit spinners over the sight screen.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will be looking for a stronger performance from their bowling attack, particularly their spinners.
The conditions were not particularly easy for bowling on the opening day, but Jayasuriya received little assistance. He bowled 24 overs, conceding 77 runs and taking one wicket.
Sri Lanka left experienced spinner Ramesh Mendis out of the XI and handed off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha his debut. He finished the day without a wicket after conceding 98 runs in 21 overs.
The hosts selected only two specialist spinners and relied on all-rounders Dhananjaya de Silva and Sonal Dinusha, who bowled four overs each.
Sri Lanka will now hope to limit India’s eventual first-innings total, with batting last on this surface potentially becoming increasingly difficult.
