India batter Devdutt Padikkal has embraced the challenge of filling the No. 3 spot in the Test team, acknowledging the huge legacy left by Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara. With regular No. 3 Sai Sudharsan sidelined by a foot injury, Padikkal received an opportunity during India’s two-Test tour of Sri Lanka and made a strong impression with the bat.
Padikkal finished the series with 328 runs across three innings, making the most of his chance after last representing India in the Perth Test in November 2024. The opportunity came unexpectedly after Sudharsan’s injury, but the left-hander responded with consistency and has strengthened his case for a longer run in the Test side.
The No. 3 position has historically carried significant expectations in Indian Test cricket, with Dravid and Pujara among the most respected batters to occupy the role. Devdutt Padikkal is aware that comparisons will inevitably follow, but he remains focused on building his own identity at the international level.
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“Yes, obviously, there have been great players (Dravid and Pujara) who have played at number three for India over the years and I am sure there will be a lot more scrutiny on me and a lot more comparisons made,” Devdutt Padikkal said while speaking to JioStar.
Devdutt Padikkal Ready To Carry India’s Proud No. 3 Legacy: ‘Lot More Scrutiny On Me’#DevduttPadikkal #TeamIndia #IndianCricket #CricketNews #TestCrickethttps://t.co/N2av2GxN7N
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The Karnataka batter added that his priority is to concentrate on his own game rather than the pressure surrounding the position. “But at the end of the day, I am going out there and just playing my cricket and as long as I am enjoying that, I think everything will fall into place,” Devdutt Padikkal added.
Padikkal’s impressive run in Sri Lanka has strengthened his claim for the No. 3 role, although the Indian team management could still face a selection dilemma when India travel to New Zealand for their next Test assignment. Sudharsan’s return could put the position up for debate. Devdutt Padikkal knows that opportunities at the international level are limited and believes continued run-scoring will be the key to securing his place.
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“You get limited opportunities these days and it isn’t very easy to cement a place in a side. Nothing is taken for granted. For me, personally, I just want to keep scoring runs and keep contributing to wins for the Indian Test side,” he said. He also stressed the importance of maintaining consistency in the longest format. “Test cricket isn’t the easiest format, as we all know, so you have to keep performing day in and day out,” Padikkal added.
