Former India player turned commentator Cheteshwar Pujara has applauded Devdutt Padikkal for scoring a hundred in the first Test against Sri Lanka. However, he stated that his real test would be in India’s away series against New Zealand later this year. However, Padikkal scored an unbeaten 131 off 178 balls on Day 1 in Galle on Saturday, August 15.

During a discussion on Sony Sports, Pujara said, “You can judge a player slightly more based on how he bats in overseas conditions. These conditions were definitely easy. I wouldn’t want to take the credit away from him at all because it’s difficult to score a hundred even if the conditions are easy. The first century is extremely special.”

“So this is extremely crucial for his career, but it will be a different challenge for him in New Zealand. If he scores runs there, the slight No. 3 problem India has would be solved. However, given the way he has improved his game, we would want to see him getting a slightly longer run,” he again added.

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However, Cheteshwar Pujara also added that Devdutt Padikkal would have been under pressure heading into the Galle Test as well.

“It was an excellent performance. The pressure is definitely there, no matter how good a form a batter might be coming in with. When he got this chance to bat at No. 3 in Test cricket, there was pressure on him to perform, and he showed that by doing it,” he said.

“We are all praising his performance, but the hard work he has put in behind it to bring the improvement that was required in his batting, this is the result of that. The reason for the performance is that he has worked a lot in the last one to one-and-a-half years,” Cheteshwar Pujara concluded.