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Devdutt Padikkal Century in Galle: In the first Test match being played between India and Sri Lanka at Galle Stadium, Team India's young batsman Devdutt Padikkal has captured the cricketing world's attention with his magnificent batting. Batting at the number 3 position, Padikkal not only steadied the Indian innings by scoring his maiden Test century but also set several significant records.
Devdutt Padikkal Scores Maiden Test Century Off 134 Balls
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Padikkal batted with great composure and technique on the challenging Galle pitch. He completed his first Test century in just 134 balls, hitting one six and nine fours along the way. At the time of writing, he remains at the crease, having scored 107 runs off 147 balls. Given this solid start, there are high hopes that he will succeed in converting this maiden century into a massive double century.
Matching Sourav Ganguly's 22-Year-Old Record at No. 3
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Devdutt Padikkal has become only the second left-handed batsman to score a century for India at the number 3 position in the 21st century. Before him, former captain Sourav Ganguly achieved this feat in 2002 by scoring 136 runs against Zimbabwe. By ending this 22-year-long wait, Padikkal has etched his name in the history books.
Breaking Team India's 2-Year No. 3 Slump
For the past two years, the Indian team had been searching for a permanent and reliable No. 3 batsman in Test cricket.
- Last Century: Prior to this, Shubman Gill had scored a century at the No. 3 spot against Bangladesh in 2024.
- A Wait of 35 Innings: Following that match, India played 19 Test matches, during which seven different batsmen were tried out at the No. 3 position.
- Poor Average: Across these 35 innings, the average of the No. 3 batsmen had dropped to just 27.28, with scores exceeding fifty achieved on only five occasions.
When Padikkal was entrusted with the responsibility at this position, he seized the opportunity with both hands; by playing a memorable innings, he effectively resolved the team's No. 3 dilemma.
Also Read: AUS vs BAN Day 3 Highlights: Australia Struggling at 161-4 Against Bangladesh
