India won the two-Test series 1-0 against Sri Lanka after the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo ended in a draw.
Devdutt Padikkal was named Player-of-the-Series after scoring 328 runs at a staggering average of 109.33, which included centuries in both matches.
The southpaw grabbed his opportunity at one-drop after Sai Sudharsan was ruled out of the series with a toe injury. He also earned the Player-of-the-Match in the first Test at Galle, where India emerged victorious by 195 runs.
With this performance, Padikkal has solidified his grip on India's crucial No. 3 Test batting spot. However, former India cricketer Ajinkya Rahane reckons that it is too early to draw a conclusion whether the tall left-hander can be a long-term No. 3 option.
According to Rahane, Padikkal’s real test will be the tour of New Zealand, though he backed the Karnataka lad to hold the No. 3 position for now.
"I think he has temporarily sealed the No.3 spot. This is his own hard work, and I am happy with his performance. When they go to New Zealand, the conditions will be different, and preparation will have to be different. But for now, we can celebrate these two centuries," Rahane said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Rahane was effusive in praise of Padikkal’s strong intent and authority in the two Test matches against Sri Lanka.
"The way Padikkal batted in both games, one thing was visible that how you look to dominate bowlers while playing at number three, and he did that. Scoring back-to-back hundreds is not easy. It is always important to be decisive as a batter, and he showed that. The intent was there. He had all the shots. He got the opportunity, and he presented his case by batting with authority and the way he scored runs. He read the situation well," he added.
Devdutt Padikkal has risen through the ranks of domestic cricket, starring for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy before breaking into the Indian national team. He boasts an impressive first-class record, amassing 4128 runs from 58 matches at an average of 45.36 with 11 hundreds and 21 half-centuries.
