Table of Contents
India National Cricket Team have already landed in Sri Lanka, and they have started playing the practice match. In the game, Devdutt Padikkal scored during the first innings of India’s batting scored a brilliant hundred. This showcases his recent form and confidence as he is in contention to replace Sai Sudharsan in the squad to bat at No.3
After Padikkal scored a hundred, the Indian fans present in the ground started chanting ‘RCB, RCB’, as Padikkal has been long associated with the franchise and his best season in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) has come for the reigning champions. He was excellent in the recently concluded season and helped the side win their second title.
Devdutt Padikkal scores brilliant century in warm-up match
Devdutt Padikkal was used at the No.3 position to check whether he could handle the pressure, and he excelled in the position due to his vast experience of batting at that position in domestic cricket. He scored 103 runs off 121 balls and was then retired out after this century; he surely seals the No.3 spot.
Crowd cheering "RCB, RCB, RCB" when Padikkal completed the Hundred 🔥 pic.twitter.com/UK4bkJnJNn
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 8, 2026
Padikkal has been in fine form in the domestic season as he led the Karnataka side to the Ranji Trophy final. Though they lost to Jammu and Kashmir, they performed really well under his leadership. Now, with Sai Sudharsan being ruled out of the series, it is a golden opportunity for the Karnataka captain to cement his place in the side with brilliant performances.
Who will India play once Sai Sudharsan is back?
Devdutt Padikkal, in the last Ranji Trophy season, piled up 543 runs at an average of 60.33, smashing two hundreds and one fifty in the season. He displayed the same form in the IPL for RCB and also in other domestic tournaments as well. With him scoring the century on Saturday, it will be a tough choice to make by the team management.
Sai Sudharsan also has showcased amazing reliability at No.3 and has scored 383 runs with an average just over 30. Once he is back and Padikkal is also fit to play, it will really be a tough decision for the Men in Blue to play any of the latter who performs in this series. Devdutt Padikkal so far has scored 90 runs from 2 matches with one fifty to his name in the Test.
India bowlers struggle
In the warm-up match, the host opted to bat first, and an inexperienced bowling attack led by Mohammed Siraj struggled to pick wickets. It was all the spinners of the Men in Blue who picked the wickets as the spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Manav Suthar picked 6 wickets combined.
India, after trailing by a total of 364 runs, lost Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck. Then Devdutt Padikkal and KL Rahul stitched a partnership of 96 runs, and then the former also stitched a small partnership with Ravindra Jadeja, who came into bat at No.4. Skipper Shubman Gill is in the squad; however, he might not bat in the warm-up game.
