COLOMBO, SRI LANKA: Two young left-handed batters, Devdutt Padikkal and Sonal Dinusha, converted opportunities into statement performances in India’s recent tour of Sri Lanka. While the series may have ended with India gaining a 1-0 victory, its biggest takeaway extends beyond the result.
Padikkal, handed the responsibility of batting at number three for India, responded with centuries in both matches, while Dinusha emerged as Sri Lanka’s standout batter with three hundreds in the series (he scored 84 in his fourth innings). Both youngsters appear to have taken a significant step forward in their Test careers.
Is Devdutt Padikkal an answer to India’s number three question?
For India, Devdutt Padikkal’s emergence could solve a question that has lingered since the end of Cheteshwar Pujara’s long reign at number three. The position has seen several contenders since, but none have quite managed to make it their own.
Padikkal, however, appears to have made a compelling case in Sri Lanka. Given the responsibility to perform, the left-hander responded with 113 in Galle and 117 in Colombo, finishing the series with 328 runs at an average of 109.33. Yet it was not merely the numbers that stood out.
Devdutt Padikkal looked increasingly assured as the series progressed, showing the patience to absorb pressure and the range to punish the opposition when opportunities presented themselves.
That combination is perhaps more important than the two centuries themselves for India. Their search for a dependable number three has been ongoing; in Sri Lanka, Padikkal offered a convincing indication that the answer could already be sitting in their dressing room.
Sonal Dinusha was Sri Lanka’s solution to the Indian challenge
If Devdutt Padikkal’s series was about filling a long-standing vacancy, Sonal Dinusha’s was about announcing that he belonged at this level. The 25-year-old left-hander had a difficult task against an Indian side that arrived with a formidable spin attack, but he found a way to put the pressure back on the visitors.
Sonal Dinusha finished the series with 420 runs at an average of 105, scoring three centuries and producing an unbeaten 133 in Colombo that played a decisive role in Sri Lanka saving the second Test. What made his performances particularly encouraging was how he adapted to the conditions rather than simply relying on attacking strokes.
He showed patience against India’s spinners, trusted his defence and was willing to wait for scoring opportunities. By the end of the series, Sonal Dinusha had gone from being an intriguing young prospect to one of the biggest reasons for Sri Lanka to feel optimistic about the future of their Test batting.
More than just numbers
The statistics tell only part of the story. Devdutt Padikkal’s twin tons gave India something they have been searching for in the middle order: a batter capable of occupying the crease for long periods without allowing the innings to stagnate. Dinusha, meanwhile, showed Sri Lanka that their next generation can stand up, too.
Their numbers were strikingly similar in one respect: both averaged above 100. But the circumstances behind those runs were what made the performances significant. Neither was simply padding a scorecard in a dominant series; both were producing runs when their teams needed them. For Devdutt Padikkal, it was about converting an opportunity at number three into a potential long-term role.
For Sonal Dinusha, it was about proving that he could be trusted against one of the strongest sides in Test cricket. The series therefore offered something more valuable than a collection of impressive statistics: evidence that two young batters were beginning to understand what it takes to succeed at this level.
Two left-handers, two different approaches
The similarities between Devdutt Padikkal and Sonal Dinusha end at their age and their left-handedness; their methods of succeeding were notably different. Padikkal often looked to play the game on his terms, using his height and reach to access deliveries and showing a willingness to score whenever India’s bowlers strayed from their plans.
Sonal Dinusha, meanwhile, built his innings around patience and a strong understanding of where his scoring opportunities lay, particularly against spin. This contrast makes their performances all the more interesting. Neither tried to copy the other’s route to success.
Instead, both found methods that suited their respective games and, crucially, stood up against quality bowling attacks. In a series played largely on turning surfaces where young batters could easily have been exposed, both showed the temperament to stay at the crease and turn starts into substantial contributions.
The future looks bright
The series ultimately belonged to India on the scoreboard, but it will prove equally significant for these two left-handers who emerged from it. Devdutt Padikkal took a major step towards answering India’s long-standing question at number three while Sonal Dinusha gave Sri Lanka a reason to believe they may have found another dependable presence for the years ahead.
Their journeys are still at an early stage, and one successful series cannot guarantee a long international career. But both showed the most important ingredient at this level: the ability to turn challenges into opportunities. If this series was indeed a coming-of-age moment, then Indian and Sri Lankan cricket may have just witnessed the beginning of two very exciting careers.
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Cover image courtesy: Cricbuzz
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