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Updated : Aug 23, 2026 19:16 IST , COLOMBO - 3 MINS READ
‘The Gill-Padikkal partnership was both sedate and stylish.’ | Photo Credit: Getty Images
In a city where Sir Don Bradman batted in 1948, Devdutt Padikkal carved his own space of batting heaven. Colombo back then was the transit port for ship-bound Ashes cricketers, and while Bradman played at the P. Sara Oval, Padikkal found his favourite turf in the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground.
Padikkal’s second hundred of the series was the spine that held the Indian first innings together. After electing to bat, India was seemingly lost in a medley of runs and soft dismissals before the Bengalurean stepped up and provided ballast. At close on the opening day of the second Test, Shubman Gill’s men scored 300 for five against Sri Lanka.
Walking in after K.L. Rahul was dismissed in the eleventh over, Padikkal had his initial slivers of luck in a batting tenure that stretched from the first session to the third and final one. He shared a 120-run third-wicket alliance with skipper Gill and kept the scoreboard ticking.
It was a partnership that was both sedate and stylish. Gill pulled and drove left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya. Padikkal, meanwhile, tucked into speedster Lahiru Kumara. The right-left combination of Gill and Padikkal unsettled the Sri Lankans.
Padikkal also relished the width at times offered by Prabath and off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha, and the rasping cut was immediately employed.
Once the individual fifties were registered, Gill, in a moment of poor judgement, tried to guide one past the slips and fell to seamer Asitha Fernando. India was on 187 for three at tea, with Padikkal being the adhesive.
In the last session, Rishabh Pant copped a blow on his wrist and left, and Ravindra Jadeja allied with Padikkal. There was a serenity to the manner in which Padikkal batted – nudging singles and striking the odd four.
Soon the century was acquired, but the celebration was muted compared to the more expansive gestures at Galle last week. And when he (117) lost his timber to Nuwantha, most rival fielders ran to pat his back. Later, as the shadows lengthened, Jadeja shouldered arms to the new ball, and Asitha clipped the stumps.
Earlier, on an easy Sunday morning with a languid air, blazing sun and less traffic, Gill won the toss and opted to bat. Yashasvi Jaiswal dug out the match’s first ball, a yorker from Asitha, and then drove with ease. While Jaiswal etched streaky fours, Rahul cover-drove Asitha.
Captain Dhananjaya de Silva employed Prabath, and the spinner was driven by Jaiswal, and Rahul hoisted a six. However, Rahul played an uncharacteristic slash against Kumara and edged.
Padikkal walked in and had two lucky breaks as sharp catches eluded Sonal Dinusha and Dhananjaya. Just as he settled in, Jaiswal remained his merry self. The opener pinched three fours from Asitha’s over and got castled by the seamer.
Words were exchanged, and Jaiswal and Asitha got too close for comfort before sanity prevailed and the batter left. Next-man Gill and Padikkal anchored India to 88 for two at lunch, a score that found incremental growth.
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