Devdutt Padikkal's back-to-back Test hundreds: has India found its new No. 3?

Quick answer

Devdutt Padikkal has scored two Test hundreds in two matches against Sri Lanka, 167 in Galle and 117 in Colombo, both from No. 3. He hasn't locked down the position for good, but he's given India its strongest audition for the role since Cheteshwar Pujara retired.

Has Padikkal made India's No. 3 spot his own?

Not permanently, but he's close. Two centuries in three Test innings at one of cricket's toughest batting positions is the kind of form selectors can't ignore. The real test comes once India leave spin-friendly Sri Lankan pitches behind.

Why his Sri Lanka hundreds matter

Padikkal only got this chance because Sai Sudharsan, India's first-choice No. 3, was ruled out with a toe injury before the series. Padikkal walked in as cover and has responded with the two best innings of his Test career.

 

People also Search For  India vs Sri Lanka at Galle: 5 Battles That Could Decide the 1st Test

Padikkal's breakthrough Test series in Sri Lanka

Padikkal arrived in Sri Lanka with three Tests and no hundred to his name. He leaves with two centuries in as many matches and a Man-of-the-Match award from the first Test.

167 at Galle in the 1st Test

Padikkal walked out at No. 3 in Galle and made 167 off 230 balls, his maiden Test century stretched into a career-best score. Only Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara had scored 150-plus from that position for India against Sri Lanka before him.

117 at Colombo in the 2nd Test

Four days later, he did it again. Padikkal made 117 off 193 balls in the second Test, becoming the first Indian in years to score consecutive Test hundreds from No. 3.

The Galle 167 helped set up India's 165-run win, while the Colombo 117 came on the opening day of the second Test.

 

How Padikkal dominated at Galle

Turning a start into a match-winning 167

Padikkal resumed on 131 overnight after a rain-hit second day and didn't slow down. He batted 230 balls in total, hit 15 fours and a six, and only fell to a stumping after advancing down the track. India's total of 460 gave them the platform to bowl Sri Lanka out twice.

What worked against Sri Lanka's spinners

Galle offered turn from early on, and Padikkal met it by using the depth of his crease. Rather than pushing forward at every ball, he waited, judged length off the pitch, and worked the spinners into gaps square of the wicket.

 

People also Search For  Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam: the complete comparison beyond runs and averages

Why his Colombo hundred was different

Surviving two early chances

Padikkal was dropped off the very first ball he faced, sliced low to point, and then reprieved again on 2 when Sri Lanka's captain spilled a slip catch. Two lives before he'd scored freely would have ended most innings early, and the escapes make the eventual 117 a far more interesting story than a chanceless hundred would have been.

Building a crucial partnership with Shubman Gill

Once settled, Padikkal added 120 runs for the third wicket with captain Shubman Gill, steadying India after they slipped to 66 for 2. Gill made a fluent 50; Padikkal went on to bat nearly five hours for his 117.

 

You can also check out Shubman Gill vs Virat Kohli at 26: Who Had the Better Start and Can Gill Break Kohli's Records?.

 

What has changed in Padikkal's Test batting?

More patience outside off stump

Padikkal's earlier Test innings, including a 23-ball duck in Perth, showed a batter drawn into loose strokes early. In Sri Lanka, he left the ball better outside off and didn't chase width until he'd read the conditions.

Better control against spin

His method against the turning ball has sharpened noticeably. Using soft hands and precise footwork, he's found gaps through cover rather than forcing the sweep or slog-sweep that had troubled him before.

 

Why No. 3 could suit Devdutt Padikkal

The role India need at No. 3

Since Pujara's retirement, India have shuffled Shubman Gill, Karun Nair, Washington Sundar, Sai Sudharsan and now Padikkal through the position. India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has openly called the constant chopping and changing unhelpful and said the team needs to settle on one player.

Padikkal's domestic record at No. 3

Padikkal's numbers in first-class cricket at No. 3 back up his Test breakthrough. He's reportedly scored 1,152 runs at an average of 57.6 with four centuries batting at first drop since 2024, a domestic body of work selectors had already flagged before this series began.

 

Padikkal vs Sai Sudharsan for India's No. 3 spot

Why Sudharsan was India's first choice

Sudharsan had already been confirmed as India's No. 3 for this series before injury ruled him out. He'd scored two centuries for India A against Sri Lanka A and finished the IPL season with over 700 runs, and he holds a Test record of 383 runs at an average of 39 with three fifties in seven matches.

Has Padikkal moved ahead after two hundreds?

Sudharsan had the spot before injury, while Padikkal's performances have now forced India into an actual selection decision. It's no longer a straightforward reinstatement once Sudharsan is fit. Padikkal has made this a genuine contest.

 

People also Search For  Pakistan tour of England 2026: full Test squads, schedule and Leeds Test preview

 

What former India players are saying

Pujara backs Padikkal at No. 3

Cheteshwar Pujara, watching as a commentator during the series, said Padikkal deserves a long run at No. 3 after his two centuries. Pujara pointed to Padikkal's control against spin and his confidence at the crease as signs the position suits him.

Why Sudharsan is still in India's plans

Cheteshwar Pujara has backed Padikkal for No. 3 while also arguing that Sudharsan should remain part of India's Test plans. Other former players, including Gautam Gambhir, have previously stressed giving Sudharsan a fair run before writing him off.

 

Can Padikkal succeed outside Sri Lanka?

The bigger test in SENA conditions

Calling India's No. 3 problem solved for the next decade after two Sri Lanka hundreds would be premature. Galle and Colombo rewarded patience against spin. England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand will test Padikkal's technique against the moving new ball, a challenge that undid him in Perth in 2024.

What he still needs to prove

Padikkal needs a substantial score outside the subcontinent before anyone calls him a long-term fix. Two hundreds against spin-heavy attacks on turning tracks are real achievements, but they answer only part of the question.

 

Has India finally found its new No. 3?

The case for Padikkal

He's scored more from No. 3 in three innings than most India recently managed in three years. His method against spin looks genuinely improved, and two former India batting greats have already backed him for the role.

The case for keeping the spot open

Sudharsan was India's first choice for a reason, and injury, not poor form, is the only thing that kept him out. India also haven't tested Padikkal in home conditions or against fast bowling on bouncy pitches since his Sri Lanka streak began.

 

Cricklytix verdict

Padikkal has earned the right to keep No. 3 for now. He hasn't yet permanently won it. That's a fairer read than declaring the debate over after two Tests, and it leaves room for both players to keep pushing India's batting forward.

 

Frequently asked questions

How many Test hundreds does Devdutt Padikkal have?

Padikkal has two Test hundreds, both scored in consecutive matches against Sri Lanka in August 2026.

How many runs did Padikkal score at Galle?

Padikkal scored 167 off 230 balls in the first Test at Galle, his maiden Test century.

How many runs did Padikkal score in Colombo?

Padikkal scored 117 off 193 balls in the second Test at Colombo, despite being dropped twice early in his innings.

Does Devdutt Padikkal bat at No. 3?

Yes. Padikkal has batted at No. 3 for India in the Sri Lanka Test series, replacing the injured Sai Sudharsan.

Who is India's current Test No. 3?

Devdutt Padikkal currently occupies the No. 3 spot, though Sai Sudharsan remains in India's plans once he recovers from injury.

Padikkal or Sai Sudharsan: who should bat at No. 3?

There's no settled answer yet. Padikkal has the recent form, but Sudharsan was India's first choice before injury and has his own Test record to defend once fit.