IND vs SL 2nd Test: Devdutt Padikkal shines with glorious ton on Day 1

Devdutt Padikkal celebrates his century against SL in Colombo on Sunday. Pics/PTI

[popcorn number="120" desc="No. of runs put on by Padikkal and Gill for the third wicket" class="Default"]

[popcorn number="Seven" desc="No. of years since an Indian No. 3 registered back-to-back centuries in away Tests prior to Devdutt Padikkal's ton on Sunday, with Cheteshwar Pujara (106 & 193 vs Australia in 2018-19) the last to do so" class="Default"]

[popcorn number="1024" desc="Total number of runs scored by Shubman Gill in the ongoing WTC cycle - the most by a captain" class="Default"]

Devdutt Padikkal handed Sri Lanka a painful lesson on the follies of putting down a form batter, clattering to a second consecutive century to thrust India to the driver's seat in the second Test.

Coming off efforts of 167 and 44 in Galle, Padikkal was dropped second ball, on nought, at point by Sonal Dinusha, and then on one by skipper Dhananjaya de Silva at slip. Making the most of his luck, the strapping No. 3 produced a composed 117 on a challenging strip at the SSC ground, driving the visitors to 300-5 on Sunday's Day One.

India skipper Shubman Gill during his 50 on Sunday

With the ball jagging around almost throughout the day and the bounce somewhat unpredictable already, India had to capitalise on Shubman Gill's sustained good fortune at the toss. Through small partnerships up front, they had a base, on which Padikkal and Gill capitalised expertly during a third-wicket alliance of 120.

Jaiswal loses his cool

KL Rahul threw his hand away after a promising start, playing a poor shot outside off to be caught behind off Lahiru Kumara, while Asitha Fernando ended Yashasvi Jaiswal's entertaining stay with a beauty that cut back a long way and hit the top of middle. That dismissal sparked a physical exchange between the batter and the bowler which did no one any credit, but it didn't spark the rush of wickets Sri Lanka might have envisioned as Padikkal found terrific support from his captain.

His driving of the highest quality, Gill immediately stamped his class while Padikkal put his iffy start behind him with a succession of crunchy blows through the off-side. With the ball suddenly doing nothing, the Sri Lankans opted for negative lines and were repeatedly ‘wided' by umpires Raza and Saikat. However, with the bowling at his mercy, Gill finally allowed the frustration of wide lines to get to him, throwing his bat at the persevering Asitha and edging to Niroshan Dickwella.

Pant retired hurt

Rishabh Pant retired hurt after being hit on his left wrist by Kumara, but with Ravindra Jadeja for company, Padikkal moved through the gears, hastening through the 80s and 90s with superb strokes off the backfoot against left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya. Padikkal would have enjoyed this scrapping effort more than the Galle ton because he earned it the hard way. His dismissal and the fall of Jadeja in the last over, to the second new ball, pegged
India back a touch, but no prizes for guessing who had the better day in the office.

Brief scores
India 300-5 (D Padikkal 117, S Gill 50, Y Jaiswal 45, R Jadeja 43; A Fernando 3-46) vs Sri Lanka