Devdutt Padikkal continued his impressive run with the bat, scoring his second consecutive Test century as India reached 300 for five at stumps on the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka on Sunday.
Padikkal played a key role in steadying India's innings after the visitors made inroads into the top order. His most important partnership came with captain Shubman Gill, with the pair adding 120 runs for the third wicket. The partnership helped India regain control after the early setbacks and laid the foundation for a sizeable first-innings total.
Gill brought up his half-century but was dismissed immediately after reaching the landmark. He was caught behind off Asitha Fernando for 50 from 108 balls, with six fours, just before the tea interval. India went into the break at 187 for three, with Padikkal continuing to hold the innings together.
Padikkal remained composed after the interval and carried on attacking the Sri Lankan bowlers when opportunities arose. He eventually reached his century and went on to make 117 before his innings came to an end. His knock proved crucial in ensuring India finished the opening day in a strong position.
Yashasvi Jaiswal also made a valuable contribution with 45, while Ravindra Jadeja scored 43 to keep the scoreboard moving. Their efforts added further stability to an Indian batting line-up that recovered well from the loss of wickets. Padikkal's innings, however, remained the defining contribution of the day.
At stumps, Dhruv Jurel was unbeaten on seven and Saransh Jain on four. India finished the day on 300 for five, giving them a solid platform to build a commanding first-innings total. With wickets in hand and the lower order still to come, India will look to extend their advantage when play resumes.
