India's newcomer Devdutt Padikkal made a memorable entry in his first Test outing on the second day of the fifth Test against England on March 8. Batting at no.4 in his debut, Padikkal displayed remarkable composure to score a crucial 65, bolstering India's dominance in Dharamsala over India.
Padikkal took to the pitch after the dismissal of centurion Rohit Sharma and witnessed Shubman Gill, who also scored a century, getting out shortly after his arrival. Despite the rapid loss of wickets, the 23-year-old debutant remained unfazed and partnered effectively with Sarfaraz Khan, helping India recover from a precarious situation.
Devdutt Padikkal disclosed Rahul Dravid's pep-talk
During a post-match conversation with JioCinema, Padikkal shared that he was informed of his Test debut possibility in Dharamsala on the night before the match. Understandably, the prospect elicited some anxiety for the young player. But it was a motivational talk from India's head coach Rahul Dravid, that played an instrumental role in helping Padikkal maintain his composure.
“Rahul sir mentioned to me yesterday, 'the first 15-20 minutes, you will have some nerves. Enjoy that, have fun with that, and just go on'. That stuck with me. I knew I was going to be nervous, but that was a nice challenge. That has definitely helped me,” Padikkal said.
Padikkal secured his place in the Indian squad after Shreyas Iyer's exit but initially did not play, as Rajat Patidar took the No. 4 position. An injury to Patidar during practice provided the Karnataka batsman with an opportunity to join the playing XI. In his debut match, Padikkal impressed with his off-side shots, delighting spectators with his elegant back-foot punches and cover drives. Despite India's commanding 255-run advantage in the fifth Test, Padikkal mentioned that the team is not entertaining the thought of wrapping up the Test in three days.
“We haven’t discussed and aren’t looking so far ahead. We still have two wickets in hand; there is a good partnership going on. So hopefully, we can continue to bat and keep getting those runs and lead bigger,” Devdutt concluded.
India push England to the corner with batting exploits
Talking about the match, centuries by captain Rohit and Gill solidified India's dominance in the final Test against England, achieving a 255-run advantage. The hosts concluded the second day at 473/8, with Kuldeep Yadav (27) and Jasprit Bumrah (19) at the crease in the scenic setting of the Dharamsala stadium. Following their commanding batting display, India have established a 255-run lead with more runs potentially on the board, positioning themselves as the clear favorites to clinch a resounding win at the scenic HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala and secure the Anthony D’Mello Trophy with a 4-1 series win.
Resuming at an overnight score of 135/1, Rohit and Gill contributed 103 and 110 respectively, amassing 171 runs for the second wicket and steering India into a commanding position. Towards the day's end, Kuldeep (27 not out) and Bumrah (19 not out) kept India in the game with two wickets in hand, despite a brief falter in the evening session, by holding firm with an ongoing ninth-wicket partnership now valued at 45 runs.
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