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SL vs IND: Padikkal stands tall with another ton as India cross 300 on Day 1 in Colombo

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Devdutt Padikkal celebrates his century in Colombo (Source: X/@BCCI)

Devdutt Padikkal celebrates his century in Colombo (Source: X/@BCCI)

Mr Cricket UAE Staff

Mr Cricket UAE Staff

Published - 23 Aug 2026, 04:52 PM Read time - 3 mins

Devdutt Padikkal smashed his second Test century to help India finish on 300/5 on Day 1 of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo. Captain Shubman Gill (50), Yashasvi Jaiswal (45) and Ravindra Jadeja (43) also made valuable contributions after India opted to bat first.

Earlier in the day, Jaiswal came out to open in his usual fashion, taking on the Sri Lankan bowlers as he got off the mark with a classy cover drive on just the second ball of the match. He continued to deal in boundaries, while Rahul also began to accelerate after a measured start. He perished on 18 (33) after trying to chase a wide delivery from Lahiru Kumara, which went straight into Niroshan Dickwella’s gloves.

Devdutt Padikkal walked in at number three and got a reprieve on his very first ball, as Sonal Dinusha dropped him at backward point. He was further dropped on 1 by Dhananjaya de Silva in the slip cordon. However, Jaiswal continued his free-flowing innings, as he took on Asitha Fernando and got closer to his half-century.

The southpaw missed out on his fifty, losing his stumps to Fernando after smashing him for successive boundaries. The Sri Lankan speedster was ecstatic to have finally got his man and gave Jaiswal a send-off, which led to a heated confrontation between the two involving some physical contact, and the players had to be separated.

Gill, Padikkal dominate Sri Lanka

In walked captain Shubman Gill at number four and took his team to lunch without any more casualties alongside Padikkal, with India on 88/2. The duo continued their partnership in the second session, adding 120 runs for the third wicket as Gill brought up his ninth Test half-century.

At the other end, Padikkal also continued to march along in his innings and breached the fifty-run mark. Sri Lanka finally got the breakthrough on the stroke of tea as Fernando got the prized scalp of Gill, who edged to Dickwella behind the stumps.

In the third session, Devdutt Padikkal had the company of Rishabh Pant at the crease with India looking to finish the day on a high. However, Pant had to return to the pavilion, retired hurt after being hit on his wrist, while attempting a pull against Lahiru Kumara. 

Following his return, Ravindra Jadeja joined Padikkal in the middle, and the left-hand duo kept the scoreboard ticking at a good rate. Padikkal brought up his second hundred of the series with a flurry of boundaries against Prabath Jayasuriya, making full use of the early reprieves handed out to him.

Sri Lanka strike twice before stumps

He became the first Indian batting at number three to hit hundreds in back-to-back away Tests since Cheteshwar Pujara in 2018-19 in Australia. Padikkal and Jadeja added 74 runs for the fifth wicket, bringing India in complete control of the game.

Just when all hopes seemed lost for the hosts, Keshara Nuwantha (1/93) dismantled Padikkal’s stumps late in the day, sending him back into the pavilion for 117. Much to India’s dismay, Jadeja (43) lost his wicket in the last over of the day, as he tried to leave an incoming delivery from Asitha Fernando (3/46) and lost his stumps in the process. As a result, India finished the day on 300/5 with Dhruv Jurel (7*) and Saransh Jain (4*) at the crease.