Galle, Aug 16 (IANS) A maiden Test century in the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka is the culmination of a long-cherished dream for left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal, who revealed that two years of relentless toil behind the scenes prepared him to seize his moment on the international stage.
Starting from an overnight score of 131, Padikkal hit a career-best monumental 167 against Sri Lanka on a rain-marred second day at the Galle International Stadium. “Definitely. I’ve dreamt of this moment. For the last two years, I’ve been working really hard to try and make sure that when I get that opportunity, I can do something special like this, and I’m really happy to do that,” Padikkal said in a chat with broadcasters at the end of day two’s play, where India reached 460/9.
Padikkal’s 230-ball marathon was built on decisive footwork and an aggressive intent against the Sri Lankan spinners, as he hit 15 boundaries and a six. Reflecting on his proactive approach to neutralise the turning ball, Padikkal explained, “I think we have discussed that at length, especially when you’re playing spin, it’s important that you have certain plans in your head.
“You cannot go out there and expect to react all the time. It’s important that we have a couple of shots in your head that you want to play as soon as you go out there, so that you can put some pressure on the bowler as well. So, I think over the last year or so, we have really worked on trying to find ways in our own strengths that you can really implement to make sure that you put pressure back.”
His assured footwork – playing fully forward or rocking completely back – was a standout feature of his innings. When pointed out that it reflected immense confidence in his pick-up of lengths, he agreed.
“Definitely – I think when you have that clarity in terms of what you want to do, I think that brings that confidence in your footwork as well. I think I was just looking to make sure that I commit to whatever I do 100 percent. Even if it’s a defensive shot, I want to make sure that I really commit to playing that, so that made my footwork much better.”
True to the rich batting lineage of his home state Karnataka, Padikkal did not throw his wicket away after reaching the three-figure mark and converted it into a 150-plus score to help India post 460/9. Shedding light on his ability to bat long, Padikkal said the key lies in surviving the immediate aftermath of reaching a milestone.
“I think honestly, it’s just the hunger to score more runs. I just enjoy batting out there, and the moment you get to 100, it’s easy to relax and feel that relief. But it’s important that for me, the next 20-30 balls are the really important phase that I try and make sure that I’m completely focused, completely there.
“I think when I get past those first 10 balls after 100, I think it makes my job a whole lot easier and over the years, I’ve seen so many cricketers get big runs, get big hundreds, especially back in Karnataka. So just watching them bat makes me want to do the same.”
With India firmly in the driver’s seat, Padikkal offered his reading of the Galle surface, which is beginning to test the batters. “Not a whole lot more. I think it will take probably another couple of sessions for that to really start breaking up. But we know that in Galle, especially, it tends to quicken up pretty fast on the third and fourth day. So we are expecting that to happen again. Hopefully, it will help our bowlers as well.”
After a grueling, rain-interrupted outing in humid conditions, the centurion had modest plans for celebrating his career-defining knock. “Not really. I think I’m tired, so I’m just going to go back to bed now,” he concluded.
–IANS
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