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.
“Definitely. I’ve dreamt of this moment. “I think honestly, it’s just the hunger to score more runs.
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. 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. 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. 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.
Shedding light on his ability to bat long, Padikkal said the key lies in surviving the immediate aftermath of reaching a milestone.
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.
