The charge of the young brigade helped India defeat Sri Lanka in the first Test. Devdutt Padikkal, 26, and Manav Suthar, 24, were the prime architects of this demographic bonus rippling with vitality.

Playing his third Test, Padikkal was expected to be both adhesive and aggressor at No. 3, besides living up to the legacy of the Karnataka school of batsmanship with its patrons being G.R. Viswanath and Rahul Dravid. His 167 in the first innings ensured that India never had to look back in this match.

He was decisive in his shot-selection, there was a fluidity to his run accumulation and it also helped that Statemate K.L. Rahul was with him. When the two spoke about each other, both mentioned about understanding the other’s tempo at the crease.

Southpaw Padikkal found a berth due to an injury side-lining Sai Sudharsan, but he grabbed his chance on a slow pitch while the weather remained hot and sultry despite the odd shower. Padikkal also registered a 44 in the second innings, vital runs when India hustled for a bigger lead.

If Padikkal laid the base, Suthar ensured that India’s dreams did not vanish. A classical left-arm spinner with loop and drift, Suthar is a throwback to a gentler past. He can constrict the batters to their crease and also tease them to their doom. His four for 76 and six for 55 were the twin blows from which Sri Lanka never recovered.

Suthar outshone his spin colleagues.
| Photo Credit:
ANI

Indelible mark

Playing his second Test, Suthar belied no nerves. Among left-arm twirlers in the XI, one that had both Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, Suthar left an indelible mark. That he can bat a bit is an added bonus as the Indian Test outfit these days is saddled with a fragile tail.

With R. Ashwin having retired and Jadeja in his twilight phase, Suthar is perhaps the man to carry forward the great Indian spin tradition. For both Padikkal and Suthar, a tougher scrutiny would be the home Tests against the visiting Australians next year. But for now, there is the second Test at Colombo to deal with.