Devdutt Padikkal delivered an outstanding performance during India's two-Test tour of Sri Lanka, establishing himself as a key player in the middle order. Batting at number three in the absence of Sai Sudharsan,who was managing an injury, Padikkal accumulated 328 runs across three innings at an average of 109.33 and was named Player of the Series.
His back-to-back centuries, including a score of 167 in Galle and 117 in India's first innings of 503 for nine declared in Colombo, demonstrated his ability
to convert starts into substantial scores while handling Sri Lanka's spin attack effectively.
Reflecting on his return to the Test side, Padikkal spoke about how eagerly he had been waiting for the opportunity and the importance of being prepared when it finally arrived.
"Definitely, I was looking forward to it. Obviously, those opportunities don't come very easily. It takes a lot of hard work to make sure that you are continuing to improve yourself and waiting for that opportunity. I had to make sure that I was ready whenever I got it," he was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
“The fact that I was told at the start of the series that I was going to be playing was really exciting, and I felt like, personally, I was at the best stage of my career in terms of the way I was batting, so I was really looking forward to it," he added.
Balancing position and personal approach
Padikkalinsisted that his primary focus remains on contributing to the team rather than worrying about his batting position or comparisons with past No. 3 batters.
"At the end of the day, it's about going out there and batting. It doesn't matter what position I'm batting at, I'm trying to contribute to the side."
He acknowledged the expectations that come with occupying the No. 3 spot for India but stressed that he wants to focus on his own game and enjoy the challenge.
“Yes, obviously, there have been great players who have played at number three for India over the years, and I'm sure there'll be a lot more scrutiny on me and a lot more comparisons made. But at the end of the day, I'm going out there and just playing my cricket, and as long as I'm enjoying that, I think everything will fall into place," Devdutt said.
Preparation and tactical clarity
Speaking about his preparation, Padikkal highlighted the importance of conversations he has had with the coaching staff over the years, particularly regarding the demands of batting for long periods in Test cricket.
"Obviously, I've had a lot of conversations with him over the years in terms of batting and what it takes to really spend long hours out there.“Again, it comes back to preparation and understanding what you want to do. As long as you have that clarity in your head about what your plans are and what you want to go out there and do, regardless of the position you're batting at, it helps a lot. I think those are the conversations I've had with him." Padikkal said.
Padikkal also emphasised that consistent run-scoring will be crucial if he wants to establish himself in India's Test XI, given the limited opportunities available at the international level.
"As long as I'm scoring runs, I think it always benefits the side. Test cricket is not the easiest format, as we all know, so you have to keep performing day in and day out. You get limited opportunities these days, and it's not very easy to cement a place in a side.“Nothing is taken for granted. For me, personally, I just want to keep scoring runs and keep contributing to wins for the Indian Test side. As long as I'm doing that, I'm sure I'll have my place," Devdutt concluded.
