The Indian team put in a good show against Sri Lanka on day 1 of the ongoing first Test between the two sides. The teams met at the Galle International Stadium, and India came in to bat first. The side put in an excellent performance in the game, ending the first day on a score of 288/2.
It was the performance of star batter Devdutt Padikkal that stood out for Team India. Coming out to bat after the fall of the first wicket, Padikkal amassed 131* runs in 178 deliveries to end the day on a positive note for the visitors as they dominated Sri Lanka.
Speaking on the same, former India cricketer Sadagoppan Ramesh came forward and talked about the performance that Padikkal put in the clash, and opined that he should go for a double century or more now.
"My only advice to Padikkal would be that this 150 isn't enough. He should go for a big 200 or even a 300 if possible. Because when it comes to certain players, whether they occasionally score a century or often score centuries, some in the team management are only plotting ways to remove them from the team. Thus, Padikkal must go for a huge score,” Ramesh said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Ramesh further heaped praise on Padikkal
Furthermore, with a century in the practice game and a ton in the first Test, Ramesh opined that Padikkal has more than solidified his place as the number three batter in the Indian side.
“Padikkal needs to be given so many more opportunities in Tests. After all, his last Test came at Perth in 2024 in a series where all the Indian batters struggled. India's average score in that entire series was only 210. So, only in a series which was challenging for batters was Padikkal given a chance, and even then only in one Test,” Ramesh said.
Padikkal ended the day on a score of 131* runs, and it could be interesting to see how far the batter can go. It does seem like Sri Lanka did not have answers for him as he put in an exceptional performance on day 1 of the clash.
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