Devdutt Padikkal was still there at lunch on Sunday, unbeaten on 13, as India reached 88-2 on the opening day of the second cricket test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Shubman Gill was with him on 11 when the players went off after the first session.
That score came after India chose to bat first and still had two wickets in hand when the break arrived. Padikkal's role was simple and immediate: stay at the crease and keep the innings moving after the early damage.
India had been on 66-2 when Yashaswi Jaiswal fell for 45, undone by Asitha Fernando with a sharp inswinger. Earlier, KL Rahul had made 18 before Lahiru Kumara had him caught by Niroshan Dickwella, and the pair had added 37 runs before the first wicket. Kumara finished with 1-19, while Fernando ended with 1-25.
The lunch position left India in a better place than the scoreline alone might suggest, but not by much. They were in control enough to avoid a collapse, yet the fact remains that they were two down before lunch despite winning the toss and choosing to bat first, a reminder that the surface and the Sri Lanka attack had already asked questions.
That is what makes Padikkal's unbeaten 13 matter now. India led the two-match series after beating Sri Lanka by 165 runs in Galle, so the visitors came into this match with the advantage. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, had kept Pasindi Sooriyabandara in the side and handed Kamil Mishara his test debut, while India left out Kuldeep Yadav and picked Saransh Jain for his first test. The early balance in Colombo leaves Padikkal and Gill with the next task: extend the innings long enough to turn a decent start into something that lasts.
