Devdutt Padikkal walked out of the Sinhalese Sports Club on Wednesday with a fourth Test century behind him and a team sheet that still reads “drawn” beside the second Test against Sri Lanka.
The left-hander struck 117 off 193 balls in a Colombo run-fest that ended without a result, leaving India to share the series 0-0 and Padikkal to field questions about individual runs versus team outcomes.
In the post-match press conference, his message was clear: personal milestones matter only as far as they push India towards victory.
What Did Padikkal Say After the Colombo Test?
“It’s important that the team wins” — that was the line Padikkal kept returning to in his post-match chat, framing his century as a stepping stone rather than a headline. He acknowledged that India would have preferred three more results in the bag, but insisted the dressing room remains aligned on the bigger goal of sealing series wins overseas.
His tone was measured, almost relieved, as if drawing in Colombo was a baseline to build on rather than a verdict on the tour. Padikkal’s series reads 167 in Galle, a quiet 44 in the same game, and 117 in Colombo. That is 328 runs across two Tests, three innings, and a touch over 100 balls per dismissal. Not bad for a batter many had written out of India’s red-ball plans before the Sri Lanka trip.
How Did Padikkal Construct His Colombo Century?
Padikkal’s 193-ball stay on Sunday, August 23 was less about flair and more about chess moves. He added 120 runs for the third wicket with captain Shubman Gill, who fell at the stroke of tea with India on 187/3, then stitched together smaller stands that kept the scoreboard ticking without ever letting Sri Lanka’s spinners dictate terms.
By stumps on Day 1, India were 300/5, with Ravindra Jadeja dismissed for 43 in the final session and Padikkal still entrenched. The innings was built through substantial partnerships across three separate phases, a fact Padikkal himself flagged when asked about the approach. “It was quite similar to be honest, it was slow here as well,” he said of the Colombo surface, comparing it to the Galle track. “Takes a lot of clarity, you need to have clear plans. There are plans in the dressing room, and everyone came up with their own plans.”
What Does This Mean for Padikkal’s Place in India?
For all the talk of KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan’s injury lay-off, and the opening slot, Padikkal has just handed the selectors a problem they didn’t ask for. You cannot drop a batter who has crossed 150 once and 100 twice in a two-Test window, not on a subcontinent tour, and not when the next red-ball assignment is already looming.
More from our cricket desk suggests India’s middle-order planning now has a new pivot. Padikkal’s own framing was characteristically grounded. “You have to make sure you have to be ready for the opportunity,” he said. “That’s a part of the game, you got to forget that as fast as possible. You got to move on to the next ball, that’s what I tried to do.”. For more detail, see BBC Sport Cricket.
What’s Next for Padikkal and India?
India’s white-ball calendar resumes in the coming weeks, and the red-ball team does not play another Test until later in the home season. That gap, however, is unlikely to soften Padikkal’s grip on the No.
3 spot. With 328 runs already banked in Sri Lanka and a team-first message ringing in his post-match comments, the left-hander has done enough to stay in the conversation well beyond Colombo. More on Devdutt Padikkal India as the story develops.
The next time Padikkal walks out in whites, expect the same checklist: clear plans, clear mind, team first.
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FAQs
What was Devdutt Padikkal’s score in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo?
Padikkal scored 117 runs off 193 balls in the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club, with 12 fours in his innings.
When was the second Test between India and Sri Lanka played in Colombo?
The second Test was played on August 23, 2026, at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, and ended in a draw.
How many runs did Padikkal score in the Sri Lanka Test series overall?
Padikkal scored 167 and 44 in the first Test at Galle, followed by 117 in the Colombo Test, taking his series tally to 328 runs across three innings.
Who did Padikkal partner with for his big stand in the Colombo Test?
Padikkal added 120 runs for the third wicket with Shubman Gill, who was dismissed for a score that left India at 187/3 at tea.
What did Padikkal say after the drawn Test in Colombo?
Padikkal said it is important to take the opportunity and help the team win, adding that personal milestones matter only when they serve the team’s result.
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