India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak on Saturday lauded Devdutt Padikkal for working on his back foot game and overall shot selection. Padikkal’s unbeaten 131 led India to 288-2 Day One against Sri Lanka. “I am so happy for him because he was actually waiting for his opportunity. The way he played here and in the warm-up match, it’s really encouraging,” Kotak said in the post-day press conference.

“Preparation, I would say, overall the way Devdutt was preparing and I saw it in the NCA (BCCI CoE)… he was working on his back foot game. We try that when we expect a turn from a pitch.