Former Indian cricketer Kris Srikkanth has shown sympathy for Tamil Nadu batter Sai Sudharsan, who missed out on the ongoing Sri Lanka Test series due to an injury, after Devdutt Padikkal hit a sublime century, batting at No. 3 in the ongoing first Test between India and Sri Lanka in Galle on August 16, 2026.
Sai Sudharsan has been batting for India at No. 3 in Tests for the past year, having made his debut in England Tests last year. He has played 7 Tests, scoring 383 runs with three fifties and a best score of 87 with an average of 31.91.
But he suffered a toe injury and failed to recover in time for the Sri Lanka Tests, and Devdutt Padikkal made the most of the opportunity he got at the No. 3 spot. He smashed 167 with 15 fours and one six as India made 460/9 at stumps on day 2 of the ongoing Test.
"Now Sai Sudarshan is going to be in trouble. While he has done well at No. 3, Padikkal has cemented that spot now. This is where Sai could ill afford to miss a game, citing injury. I won't accept the excuse of too much cricket being played. You have to keep yourself fit. Now Padikkal can't be dropped, and Sai will suffer because of this injury's absence. For Sai to come back, it's going to be that much more difficult,” Srikkanth stated on his YouTube channel.
Yet, Srikkanth had high praise for Padikkal, saying:
"What a comeback by Padikkal. His batting has such elegance. He hasn't let go of his incredible form from domestic cricket to the IPL. His drives and cuts are superb, full of fluency. It also shows that those who shine at the domestic level are doing well for India as well. Now performances in the Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy will be taken up seriously. Just doing well in the IPL to play for India won't happen."
Padikkal had also scored 142* in India’s warm-up game against Sri Lanka Cricket XI, helping him get picked at no. 3 for the ongoing first Test.
According to Kris Srikkanth, the Indian players' string of injuries cannot be attributed to playing three formats on a busy schedule. For the Sri Lankan Test series, Team India is without Washington Sundar and Jasprit Bumrah in addition to Sai.
"I don't buy the excuse that playing all formats leads to injuries. Virat Kohli played all formats and never struggled for fitness. He is just an example. There are many who've played all three formats and never had problems. It's how you take care of your body and make yourself mentally strong. That's the price you pay for all the popularity you gain through the sport," said Srikkanth.
Apart from Padikkal, KL Rahul (82) and Dhruv Jurel (51) also made significant contributions to India’s total.
